a printer system using inks , toners or developers with solvents therein is provided with a detector for volatile organic compounds assists in reducing potential accidents in the printer . the detector may be able to identify at least a threshold level of volatile organic in a gas phase in the printer , or may be able to identify various levels or a continuous metered level of volatile organic compounds . an automatic warning , automatic signal , or even automatic cutoff function may be associated with the detector . the detector may be inside the printer or associated with a vent or generally positioned on or near the printer . one mode of detection operation described in detail is identification of changes in dielectric constant in a vapor phase or vapor stream that can be associated with changed levels of voc in that phase or stream .