ISO 11890-2:2020

Overview

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 - specifies a gas‑chromatography (GC) based procedure for measuring VOC and SVOC in coating materials and raw materials. The standard applies to expected VOC/SVOC contents from 0.01 % by mass up to 100 % by mass, and is intended for systems where SVOCs can influence results obtained by other methods.

Key technical topics and requirements

• Scope & applicability
  • Applicable when VOC and/or SVOC > 0.01 % (by mass).
  • Use ISO 11890‑1 when VOC > 15 % by mass; use ISO 17895 (headspace) as an alternative when VOC < 0.1 %.
  • ISO 11890‑1 and ISO 17895 do not determine SVOC content.
• Analytical principle
  • GC separation and detection of volatile and semi‑volatile organic compounds with defined sample preparation, calibration and data‑analysis workflows.
• Document content (selected)
  • Required information, apparatus, reagents and sampling procedures.
  • Sample preparation, multi‑point calibration, surrogate/CSRF quantification options.
  • Quality assurance, GC method conditions and integration/identification rules.
  • Calculation methods for VOC/SVOC expressed as % by mass or g/L (with options to exclude water and exempt compounds).
  • Precision data (repeatability and reproducibility) and test reporting requirements.
• Limitations and notes
  • Not applicable for determination of water content (use ISO 760 for Karl‑Fischer).
  • Some ingredients may thermally decompose during analysis and produce artefactual VOC/SVOC signals (see Annex B); such artefacts are excluded from reported results.
  • Presence of organic acids/bases and salts can affect quantification due to equilibrium shifts.
  • Volatile inorganic compounds are outside the method - may require separate methods.

Practical applications and users

• Laboratories performing regulatory compliance testing for coatings and varnishes (VOC/SVOC reporting).
• Paint and varnish manufacturers - product development, quality control and formulation optimization.
• Environmental compliance officers and certification bodies assessing emissions and labeling.
• Raw‑material suppliers validating volatility classes (VOC, SVOC, NVOC) for safety data and regulatory dossiers.

Related standards

• ISO 11890‑1 - Alternative method (when VOC > 15 % by mass)
• ISO 17895 - Headspace method (useful when VOC < 0.1 %)
• ISO 760 - Karl‑Fischer method (water content)
• ISO 1513, ISO 15528, ISO 2811 - Sample preparation, sampling and density determinations referenced in the standard

ISO 11890‑2:2020 is essential where accurate separation and quantification of VOC and SVOC by gas chromatography are required for product compliance, emissions assessment and quality control in the coatings industry. Keywords: ISO 11890-2:2020, VOC, SVOC, gas chromatographic method, paints and varnishes, determination, coatings testing.