Volatile organic compounds : components, sources, determination. A review

Although in previous research the VOCs have been considered as pollutants, they play a vital role in the atmospheric system. The majority of VOCs entering the atmosphere are of biogenic origin. Over 90% of natural emission of VOCs is related to plants. Dominant sources of VOCs are forests all over the world; the most important among them is the Amazonian rainforest. Numerous VOCs can be dangerous for human's health. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor the VOC level in the atmosphere. Since some of VOCs can act as precursors of photochemical smog, their level is one of the fundamental parameters for the atmosphere quality assessment. Among numerous techniques for determination of VOCs, GC-MS with thermal desorption is one of the most widespread.