VOCs are responsible for the odor of scents and perfumes as well as pollutants. VOCs play an important role in communication between animals and plants, e.g. attractants for pollinators,[3] protection from predation,[4] and even inter-plant interactions.[5] Some VOCs are dangerous to human health or cause harm to the environment. Anthropogenic VOCs are regulated by law, especially indoors, where concentrations are the highest. Most VOCs are not acutely toxic, but may have long-term chronic health effects. Some VOCs have been used in pharmacy, while others are the target of administrative controls because of their recreational use.
^Pichersky, Eran; Gershenzon, Jonathan (2002). "The formation and function of plant volatiles: Perfumes for pollinator attraction and defense". Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 5 (3): 237–243. doi:10.1016/S1369-5266(02)00251-0. PMID11960742.