ISO 11890 Paints and Varnishes - Determination of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Content

Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) "The ISO 11890 Paints and varnishes - Determination of volatile organic compound (VOC) content standard consists of the following subsections published under the same title:

• ISO 11890-1 Part 1: Differential method is one of a series of standards for the sampling and testing of paints, varnishes, and related products. This standard describes a method for determining the volatile organic compound (VOC) content of paints, varnishes, and their raw materials. This standard can be used when the expected VOC content is greater than 15 percent by mass. When the expected VOC content is greater than 0,1 percent by mass and less than 15 percent by mass, ISO 11890-2 should be used. This method assumes that the volatile matter is water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds may be present and may need to be measured by another suitable method and accounted for in the calculations.

In principle, after sample preparation, the non-volatile substance content is determined according to ISO 3251, and the water content is determined using a titration technique using Karl Fischer's reagent according to ISO 760. The contents of exempt compounds, if any, are then determined using the method specified in ISO 11890-2. The VOC content of the sample is then calculated.

For any specific application, the test method specified in this standard must be supplemented with additional information. Additional information items are included in the annex to this standard (Annex A).

A representative sample of the product to be tested, or in the case of a multi-layer system, is taken from each product, as specified in ISO 15528. Each sample is examined and prepared for testing as specified in ISO 1513, with the final sample prepared for testing in a ready-to-use state.

• The standard "ISO 11890-2 Part 2: Gas-chromatographic method" is valid for the determination of VOCs and SVOCs with an expected VOC or SVOC content greater than 0,01 percent by mass, up to 100 percent by mass. When VOCs are greater than 15 percent by mass, the method given in ISO 11890-1 is used.

This standard is applicable when the system contains VOCs and SVOCs because the VOC result of the ISO 11890-1 standard may be affected by SVOCs. For VOC contents less than 0,1 percent, the headspace method described in the ISO 17895 standard is used as an alternative. The ISO 11890-1 and ISO 17895 standards cannot be used to determine SVOC content. Some components of coating materials and raw materials may decompose during analysis, resulting in spurious VOC or SVOC signals. When determining VOC or SVOC for coating materials and raw materials, these signals are artefacts of the method and are ignored. This method assumes that the volatile substance is water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds may be present and need to be measured by another suitable method and taken into account in the calculations. The method described here is not applicable for determining water content. If organic acids or bases and their corresponding salts are present in the coating material or raw materials, the quantity measured by this method may not be accurate due to changes in acid or base equilibrium.

After sample preparation, VOCs, SVOCs, and NVOCs are separated by a gas chromatography technique. Depending on the sample type, a hot or cold sample injection system is used. Hot injection is the preferred method. After compounds are identified, for example, by GC-MS, they are quantified from peak areas based on their compound-specific relative responses using an internal standard using GC-FID. Unidentified substances are quantified against a surrogate standard, which may be identical to the internal standard. A calculation is performed to give the VOC or SVOC content of the sample.

For any particular application, the required information should preferably be agreed upon between the parties involved and may be derived, in whole or in part, from an international or national standard or another standard relevant to the product being tested. The required information may include:

• Organic compounds to be determined
• Experimental conditions to be used
• Classification criteria for VOC or SVOC
• Compounds exempt from specified organic compounds
• Calculation method to be used

In short, the ISO 11890 standard helps ensure accurate and consistent measurement of VOC content, which is important for:

• Environmental protection: VOCs contribute to air pollution and the formation of ground-level ozone and smog, which are harmful to human health and the environment. Regulating their content in coatings helps reduce these effects.
• Regulatory compliance: Many countries and regions have strict regulations limiting VOC levels in paints and coatings. The ISO 11890 standard provides manufacturers and regulators with an internationally recognized method for verifying compliance.
• Trade and industry consistency: Enables manufacturers across countries to:
  • Consistently measuring and reporting VOC levels.
  • Label products accurately.
  • Selling internationally without having to retest to meet different national standards.

In short, ISO 11890 standards are considered necessary because they provide standardized methods for determining volatile organic compound (VOC) content in paints, varnishes and related products.

Our organization, which has been supporting businesses across all sectors for years through a wide range of testing, measurement, analysis, and evaluation activities, boasts a strong team of employees who closely follow global developments in science and technology and are constantly improving themselves. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the ISO 11890 Paints and varnishes - Determination of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Content standard.