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  4. Precise air quality assessment

Precise air quality assessment

BQ16 detects formaldehyde and VOC concentrations

The most common and most dangerous substance groups with regard to indoor air exposure certainly include formaldehyde (HCHO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Whether at home, in the office, at the workplace or in public buildings, schools or kindergartens: The pollution of the room air with these substances can neither be smelled nor tasted – but reliably measured. Using Trotec's new HCHO/TVOC measuring device BQ16.

Using the BQ16 is agreeably easy: Upon switch-on the measuring device automatically determines the prevailing HCHO and TVOC concentrations in real time. In doing so, the BQ16 detects even minor concentrations of as low as 0.01 ppm or 0.01 mg/m³. Since German legislature mostly defines limit values in either mg/m³ or ppm (parts per million), the BQ16 was designed from the outset to optionally indicate all measured values in either mg/m³ or ppm at the push of a button.

Both measured values are simultaneously indicated on the easily legible display of the BQ16 with on-demand background illumination. Thanks to the integrated MIN, MAX and HOLD functions you can view the minimum or maximum value at any time during the measurement and hold the currently measured value if needed. For battery-saving operation this practical measuring device is further equipped with an automatic switch-off function.

A few practical benefits:

  • Development, design, production: 100 % Trotec
  • Determination of measured values in ppm or mg/m³
  • Dual real-value display for HCHO and TVOC
  • MAX, MIN and HOLD function
  • Illuminable display
  • Automatic switch-off
  • Practice-optimized German industrial design – protected design patent

Why formaldehyde and mixtures of air pollutants are so dangerous

Whether a new flat, new furniture or a new car – new things should never be hazardous to health. But many modern materials are host to the hazardous formaldehyde and a great number of volatile organic compounds. The BQ16 supports you in performing a precise risk assessment in your own quarters, at the workplace, in your car or directly at the local store, e.g. when purchasing furniture or construction materials.

Public buildings, schools and kindergartens
New cars
Building materials
Workplace
  • Methanal – also known as formaldehyde – is the chemical precursor for many industrial products ranging from varnishes or paints to adhesives and binding agents, even preservatives. Many materials containing formaldehyde, e.g. wood-based materials, flooring or textiles, can contaminate the breathing air in closed rooms for a long time through outgassing. Owing to its particular toxicity, formaldehyde was classified as category 1B carcinogen in accordance with the European Chemicals Directive (CLP) – as presumed to have carcinogenic potential for humans.

    Following the guideline of the German Federal Environment Agency, a formaldehyde concentration of 0.1 mg per cubic metre of indoor air should not be exceeded – not even for a brief period!

  • Mixtures of air pollutants (VOC/TVOC) are substances that evaporate already at low temperatures – hence "volatilize" into the gaseous state – and thus pollute the air. This is why they are referred to as volatile organic compounds and measured as the cumulative value TVOC (total volatile organic compounds). Manifold VOC sources can be found indoors, e.g. flooring and floor coating, paints and varnishes, sealings and adhesives, furniture and carpets. People can be taken chronically ill by VOC-polluted indoor air. This is also called the "sick building syndrome".

    According to the Federal Environment Agency, the air in rooms intended for long-term stays must not permanently exceed a TVOC value ranging between 1 and 3 mg/m³ .