An incredibly large amount of VOC is constantly emitted into the earth atmosphere. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. VOC are emitted by anthropogenic activities such as fossil fuel burning, forest fires and solvent use. Natural emission from vegetation is the main source. Oxidation of VOC in the presence of NOx produces harmful ground-level ozone. VOC are also regarded as precursors of aerosol formation. As these suspended particles act as condensation nuclei, they influence cloud formation and hence climate. Armin Hansel has pioneered the development of PTR-MS a method for fast and sensitive VOC monitoring. His team study VOC emissions and their impact on climate, air quality and human health.
