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MOLD SERVICES |
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| TESTING SERVICES |
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| ANCILLARY SERVICES |
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| INFORMATION |
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ABOUT VOC TESTING |
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Do you ever get headaches or
feel sick at home or at work for no apparent
reason? Do you feel fine after you leave an
environment that you feel sick in, and then feel
sick again when you return to that environment?
If so, it is entirely possible that the building
you feel sick in contains one or more toxic
chemicals called volatile organic compounds
(VOC).
VOC's are known to cause a number of
adverse reactions in humans, such as eye, nose
and throat irritation, headaches, nausea &
vomiting, dizziness, and worsening of asthma
symptoms. Long-Term (chronic) symptoms of
exposure to high levels of VOCs are an increased
risk of cancer, liver damage, kidney damage, and
central nervous system damage. Some doctors
believe that VOC exposure can cause Multiple
Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome (MCS) while other
doctors disagree. But when you are afflicted
with MCS, you don't want differing
opinions, you want relief.
Multiple chemical sensitivity
syndrome is a disorder that seems to be
triggered by exposure to low levels of multiple
identifiable or unidentifiable chemical
substances commonly present in the environment.
1
MCS is more common among women than men. In
addition, 40% of people with chronic fatigue
syndrome and 16% of people with fibromyalgia
have multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome as
well.
Some people start having
symptoms after a single exposure to high levels
of various toxic substances. Symptoms may
include a rapid heart rate, chest pain,
sweating, shortness of breath, fatigue,
flushing, dizziness, nausea, choking, trembling,
numbness, coughing, hoarseness, and difficulty
concentrating.
Your doctor can perform testing to diagnose
allergic disorders, including blood and
skin-prick tests. AMI can perform VOC
testing on your home or any other indoor
environment to determine what chemicals are
present.
For
more specific information regarding your
personal concerns about toxic chemicals in your
building, call AMI to speak to a Certified
Professional.
1-800-369-8532
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General Information on Volatile Organic
Compounds
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How Are
VOC's Sampled? |
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The best way to sample the widest range of
compounds with the greatest of ease is TO-15, a
sophisticated canister technology capable of
seeing parts per trillion of certain volatile
organic compounds. The GC/MS instrument also
makes it possible to look at ‘unknown compounds’
and make tentative identifications. It is this
versatility that makes TO-15 one of the most
powerful tools used for investigation and for
any initial evaluation.
The TO-15 analysis as written by the EPA refers
to a specific 63 compound list of regulated
compounds. The list was developed to support the
Clean Air Act. AMI will also perform a
non-target compound library search. This will
provide a listing of up to 10-20 extra compounds
that are not targets. These compounds are
referred to tentatively identified compounds (TICs).
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Where Do
VOC's Come From? |
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Many products we have in our homes release or
“off-gas” VOCs. Some examples of sources of VOCs
are:
- Building Materials: Carpets and
adhesives, Composite wood products, Paints,
Sealing caulks, Solvents, Upholstery
fabrics, Varnishes, Vinyl Flooring
- Home and Personal Care Products:
Air fresheners, Air cleaners that produce
ozone, Cleaning and disinfecting chemicals,
Cosmetics, Moth balls, Aerosol spray
products
- Professional Shop Products: Hair
sprays and dyes, Nail polish and removers,
Printing supplies, Fuel oil, Gasoline,
Vehicle exhaust, Freon
- Common Every Day Behaviors:
Cooking, Dry-cleaning
- Other: Hobbies, Newspapers,
Non-electric space heaters, Smoking,
Photocopiers, Stored paints and chemicals,
Wood burning stoves
[return to top]
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What
Are the Health Effects of VOC Exposure? |
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Each VOC chemical has its own toxicity and
potential for causing different health effects.
The possible risk of health effects from
inhaling any chemical depends on how much is in
the air, how long and how often a person
breathes it in. Scientists look at short-term
(acute) exposures as hours to days or long-term
(chronic) exposures as years to even lifetime.
Common symptoms of exposure to VOCs include:
Short-Term (Acute) to
high levels of VOCs
- Eye, nose and throat irritation
- Headaches
- Nausea / Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Worsening of asthma symptoms
Long-Term (Chronic)
to high levels of VOCs Increased risk of:
- Cancer
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Central Nervous System damage
The best health protection measure is to
limit your exposure to products and materials
that contain VOCs when possible. If you think
you may be having health problems caused by VOCs,
call AMI to discuss VOC testing in your home or
work place. 1-800-369-8532
[return
to top]
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REFERENCES:
1. Merck Online Medical Library
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EPA ON VOCs |
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Call AMI today for a quote on
testing your recycled indoor air.
1-800-369-8532
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ALL ABOUT MOLD |
Are you concerned about mold?
With the abundance of
information available on the
internet and other media sources
it can be difficult to separate
the facts from all the hype. But
not anymore. Now you can get
straight talk from some of the
Nation's leading experts with
AMI's Certified Mold
Inspector Hotline.
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Click here
to read it online
OR call toll free
1-800-369-8532 to speak to a
Certified Inspector now. |
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