ABSTRACT
The term "volatile organic compounds" in general applies to the sample extraction technique. Several methods may be found in the literature for analyzing such volatile organic compounds in aqueous and nonaqueous matrices. Such extraction techniques may vary with the sample matrices. Compounds are mostly detected by gas chromatography (GC) using a suitable GC detector or by a mass spectrometer. The analytical techniques to measure the volatile organic compounds in solid matrices are more or less the same as that for the aqueous samples discussed in the chapter. Some differences, however, may be noted in the sample preparation techniques. US EPA's SW-846 methods describe detailed procedures that can be applied not only to the solid matrices but also to the aqueous wastes and sludge, waste oils, and groundwater. US EPA's Solid Wastes 846 discusses sampling and analyses of selected volatile organic compounds in air. NIOSH Method 2549 is applicable to measure many types of volatile organic compounds in the air.
