Appendix B
Acronyms and Names Used for Classifying Organic Compounds
Common Abbreviation |
Full Name |
Definition |
VOC1 |
Volatile organic compounds |
Organic compounds that are found in the gas phase at ambient conditions. Might not include methane. |
ROG |
Reactive organic gases |
Organic compounds that are assumed to be reactive at urban (and possibly regional) scales. By definition, taken to be those organic compounds that are regulated because they lead to ozone formation. Does not include methane. The term is used predominantly in California. |
NMHC |
Nonmethane hydrocarbons |
All hydrocarbons except methane; sometimes used to denote ROG. |
NMOC |
Nonmethane organic compounds |
Organic compounds other than methane. |
RHC |
Reactive hydrocarbons |
All reactive hydrocarbons; also used to denote ROG. |
THC |
Total hydrocarbons |
All hydrocarbons, sometimes used to denote VOC. |
OMHCE |
Organic material hydrocarbon equivalent |
Organic compound mass minus oxygen mass. |
TOG |
Total organic gases |
Used interchangeably with VOC. |
1Unless noted otherwise, HC is the term used in this report to represent the general class of gaseous organic compounds. Source: NRC 1999. |