In the Volatiles Analysis lab, scientists study and analyze volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in samples. VOCs are chemicals that volatilize (or evaporate) when they are exposed to air, and can affect our health and the environment. These compounds are found in a variety of everyday products, from dry erase markers, cosmetics and perfumes, to industrial and construction materials. Due to lack of air, VOCs remain in groundwater until they are biodegraded. VOCs migrate with groundwater and can enter drinking water wells.

In this lab:

• VOCs are identified in various types of samples such as soil, stormwater, wastewater and sediment.
• A Mass Selective Detector (the MS part of the GC/MS) is used to break a chemical into fragments. Since each chemical breaks apart differently, the fragmentation pattern or chemical “fingerprint” is used to identify and quantify the compounds of interest by comparing the “fingerprint” to a reference library of known chemicals.

For example:

Older areas of the Tacoma Landfill do not have a liner underneath the garbage, and leachate (pronounced “leech-ate,” a discharge that seeps out of garbage) from the landfill entered the groundwater surrounding the site. Many of the contaminants in the leachate that mix with groundwater are VOCs. The City installed a series of 35 groundwater extraction wells to pump the contaminated groundwater out of the ground, treat it and then return it to the environment. This system is slowly being shut off as quality improves, but the City continues to monitor VOC levels in the groundwater surrounding the landfill to ensure protection of human health and environment.