What is formaldehyde? Is mild formaldehyde pollution a big deal?

The toxicity contained in formaldehyde is very harmful to human health, especially when the formaldehyde content is relatively high, it will have a very strong irritating effect on the eyes and nose. Therefore, we must pay enough attention to formaldehyde. Today we will look at what formaldehyde is from the root and get a deeper understanding of it.

Contents of this article

1. What is formaldehyde?

2. Is mild formaldehyde pollution a big deal?

3. Formaldehyde volatilization in summer is several times higher than usual

What is formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a colorless, irritating, toxic gas. The toxicity contained in formaldehyde is very harmful to human health, especially when the formaldehyde content is relatively high, it will have a very strong irritating effect on the eyes and nose.

Formaldehyde is very active in chemical properties. It can be easily reduced to methanol under the catalysis of metals or metal oxides. When oxidized, it can generate formic acid or carbon dioxide and water.

Formaldehyde itself can undergo condensation reactions. In general products, 10%-12% methanol is added as an inhibitor, otherwise polymerization will occur.

Formaldehyde is often used as a preservative and disinfectant. The main routes of human exposure to formaldehyde are inhalation through the respiratory tract, oral ingestion, and skin contact.

Is mild formaldehyde pollution a big deal?

Even if the formaldehyde pollution is mild, it is best to pay attention to it, otherwise it will have a bad impact on human health. When the formaldehyde content is low, it can be removed mainly by opening windows for ventilation, plant purification, activated carbon adsorption of formaldehyde, etc. Although the formaldehyde is mild, it is also recommended to remove it to the standard range.

Opening windows for ventilation is a simple method of removing formaldehyde. The purification principle is to circulate and replace indoor and outdoor air, which can release free formaldehyde and other harmful gases to the outdoors, thereby reducing formaldehyde concentration.

The more popular plants for removing formaldehyde on the market are: green radish, spider plant, ivy, etc. These plants can not only decorate the home, but also purify the air.

Using activated carbon is also a good choice for removing formaldehyde. The surface of activated carbon is rich in pores, which can absorb indoor odors and play a certain role in pollution control.

Formaldehyde volatilization in summer is several times higher than usual

The formaldehyde emission in summer is more than 4 times that in winter. The formaldehyde volatilization point is 19℃. The concentration increases by 0.4 times for every degree increase in temperature. The average formaldehyde concentration in winter and summer is about 0.07mg/m³ and 0.3mg/m³ respectively. In summer, the temperature is high, formaldehyde evaporates quickly, and the irritating odor will be heavier.

In summer, the temperature is high and the air pressure is low. In addition, air conditioners are widely used in rooms, which are tightly sealed and have low air ventilation rates. The release of toxic and harmful gases such as formaldehyde, ammonia and benzene from construction, decoration materials and furniture will increase.

In summer, the air humidity is high and there are many water molecules. Since formaldehyde has hydroxyl functional groups that have affinity for water, it is very soluble in water. Formaldehyde molecules that stay on the surface of furniture are easily adsorbed by water and detached from the surface of furniture, thus being released from the furniture.

If a newly renovated family buys new furniture, it is best not to rush to move in. You can let the harmful gases in the furniture release on their own. In summer, you should also pay attention to the quilts placed in the closet, which will absorb a lot of formaldehyde. They must be fully aired before use.