Concentrations of ten known or suspected toxic and/or carcinogenic volatile organic compounds, including benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, tetraehloroethylene, ortho‐ and para‐diehlorobenzene, 1,2‐dichloroethane, 1,1,1‐trichloroethane, and nitrobenzene were measured in ambient air. Samples were taken in three sections of northeastern New Jersey for purposes of discerning whether high concentrations of these species existed in selected areas of the state. The pollutants were collected by trapping on porous polymer (Tenax), thermal desorption, and high resolution gas chromatographic analysis. Concentrations in the low and sub‐part‐per billion range were found. Differences in the concentration levels of these pollutants were detectable when urban, suburban residential, and industrial areas were compared. The results obtained in this work prove to be comparable with those of researchers in other locations.