Characteristics:
Sources Natural: forest and brush fires Urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin treated fabric, rugs, paper, particle board and plywood, foam insulation Cigarette smoke & other combustion sources Embalming fluid in anatomy labs, morgues Used as preservative in some foods and household products such as antiseptics, medicines, and cosmetics Characteristics
Characteristics (cont’d):
Chemical and Physical Properties CH 2 O, MW= 30.03 g/mol VP= 389 mm Hg at 25 deg C Colorless gas (commercially as aqueous solution) with a pungent, irritating odor In the presence of air, it oxidizes into formic acid Characteristics (cont’d)
Potential Health Effects:
Potential Health Effects Vapor : irritating to mucous membranes, eyes and
respiratory system Liquid : severe eye and skin burns Populations at risk: asthmatics , people with dermal sensitization Cancer Classification : Group B1 Probable Human Carcinogen (nasal cancer)
Common Control Methods:
Common Control Methods Modification of source materials during manufacture or after installation Ventilation should be provided (escape) Personal Protective Equipment Respirator Eye protection Skin protection
Common Control Methods (cont’d):
Common Control Methods (cont’d) Reduce exposure at home by: Using “exterior-grade” pressed wood products (phenol resins) Ask about formaldehyde content before purchasing Air conditioning & humidifiers Increase ventilation after bringing in new sources of formaldehyde Proposed Rulemaking: Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act Signed into law on July 7, 2010 by President Obama
Government Standards:
EPA : Exposure to formaldehyde in drinking water at concentrations of 10 mg/L for 1 day or 5 mg/L for 10 days is not expected to cause any adverse effects in a child. Lifetime exposure to 1 ppm formaldehyde is not expected to cause any adverse effects. OSHA : Limited workers' exposure to an average of 0.75 ppm for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) : Set standards for formaldehyde emissions in manufactured housing of less than 0.2 ppm for plywood and 0.3 ppm for particle board. The HUD standards are designed to provide an ambient level of 0.4 ppm or less in manufactured housing. Government Standards
Happy Halloween!!:
H a p p y H a l l o w e e n ! !