ISO 11890-2:2020
Paints and varnishes - Determination of volatile organic compounds(VOC) and/or semi volatile organic compounds (SVOC) content - Part 2: Gas-chromatographic method
This document is applicable for the determination of VOC and SVOC with an expected VOC and/or SVOC content greater than 0,01 % by mass up to 100 % by mass.The method given in ISO 11890-1 is used when the VOC is greater than 15 % by mass. This document (method ISO 11890-2) applies when the system contains VOC and SVOC as the VOC result of ISO 11890-1 can be influenced by the SVOC. For VOC content smaller than 0,1 %, the head space method described in ISO 17895 is used as an alternative. ISO 11890-1 and ISO 17895 cannot be used for the determination of the SVOC content.NOTE 1 Some ingredients of coating materials and their raw materials can decompose during analysis and cause artificial VOC and/or SVOC signals. When determining VOC and/or SVOC for coating materials and their raw materials, these signals are artefacts of the method and are not taken into account (examples are given in Annex B).This method assumes that the volatile matter is either water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds can be present and might need to be quantified by another suitable method and allowed for in the calculations. The method defined in this document is not applicable for determination of water content.NOTE 2 If organic acids or bases and their corresponding salts are present in the coating material or its raw materials, the amount that is quantified by this method might not be accurate due to a change in the acid or base equilibrium.
This document is applicable for the determination of VOC and SVOC with an expected VOC and/or SVOC content greater than 0,01 % by mass up to 100 % by mass.
The method given in ISO 11890-1 is used when the VOC is greater than 15 % by mass. This document (method ISO 11890-2) applies when the system contains VOC and SVOC as the VOC result of ISO 11890-1 can be influenced by the SVOC. For VOC content smaller than 0,1 %, the head space method described in ISO 17895 is used as an alternative. ISO 11890-1 and ISO 17895 cannot be used for the determination of the SVOC content.
NOTE 1 Some ingredients of coating materials and their raw materials can decompose during analysis and cause artificial VOC and/or SVOC signals. When determining VOC and/or SVOC for coating materials and their raw materials, these signals are artefacts of the method and are not taken into account (examples are given in Annex B).
This method assumes that the volatile matter is either water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds can be present and might need to be quantified by another suitable method and allowed for in the calculations. The method defined in this document is not applicable for determination of water content.
NOTE 2 If organic acids or bases and their corresponding salts are present in the coating material or its raw materials, the amount that is quantified by this method might not be accurate due to a change in the acid or base equilibrium.
ISO 11890-2:2013 is one of a series of standards dealing with the sampling and testing of paints, varnishes and related products. It specifies a method for the determination of the volatile organic compound (VOC) content of paints, varnishes and their raw materials. This part is preferred if the expected VOC content is greater than 0,1 % by mass and less than about 15 % by mass. When the VOC content is greater than about 15 % by mass, the less complicated method given in ISO 11890‑1 may be used. This method assumes that the volatile matter is either water or organic. However, other volatile inorganic compounds can be present and might need to be quantified by another suitable method and allowed for in the calculations.
The Requirements department helps you quickly locate within the normative text:
- mandatory clauses to satisfy,
- non-essential but useful clauses to know, such as permissions and recommendations.
The identification of these types of clauses is based on the document “ISO / IEC Directives, Part 2 - Principles and rules of structure and drafting of ISO documents ”as well as on a constantly enriched list of verbal forms.
With Requirements, quickly access the main part of the normative text!

COBAZ is the simple and effective solution to meet the normative needs related to your activity, in France and abroad.
Available by subscription, CObaz is THE modular solution to compose according to your needs today and tomorrow. Quickly discover CObaz!
Request your free, no-obligation live demo
I discover COBAZ