VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN WATERS AND THEIR HEALTH EFFECTS

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) resulting from a variety of industrial and environmental activities are organic chemicals with toxic, carcinogenic and bioaccumulative properties. VOCs can easily spread in the water environment due to high vapour pressure and cause by passing through the lipid membranes by means of the physical and chemical structures the destruction to the human DNA and considerable environmental pollution because of their toxicities. For this reason, analysis and monitoring of these substances determined by national and international environmental and health organizations to the maximum quantities in the water matrix, which is critical for the environment and human life, is of great importance. In this study, as a result of the literature studies, the physical, chemical and toxicological properties of VOCs, their sources, sample preparation and analysis methods of VOCs and the effects on environment and human health were compiled. Possible effects of VOCs mentioned in the study on the environment and especially on human health were explained by setting forth their toxicity values