What Is Formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is a chemical compound that is widely used in industrial manufacturing and a number of other industries. Many people are familiar with it in the form of formalin, an aqueous solution of formaldehyde that is used as an embalming preservative. This chemical is toxic, known to cause cancer and a variety of other health problems, and for this reason, most people make an effort to avoid it.
This
chemical is the simplest of the aldehydes, chemical compounds that include a
terminal carbonyl group. A carbonyl group is a group of atoms that includes a
carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom; the chemical formula for
formaldehyde is HCHO, making it a useful building block for other, more complex
aldehydes. Pure formaldehyde is a colorless gaseous compound, and it is
extremely reactive. For this reason, it is often mixed into other chemical
compounds to form a stable substance.
In
addition to being used in things like glues, preservatives, antiseptics,
resins, paints, film processing, and embalming, formaldehyde is also abundant
in the atmosphere. It is one of the many byproducts of combustion, and it is
also formed through atmospheric reactions, making it a major component of smog.
As a result, it can be a challenge to avoid it.
High
levels of exposure can lead to cancer in the long term, and respiratory
problems, skin conditions, and inflammation of the mucus membranes in the short
term. Allergies to formaldehyde can also cause serious health problems. This
chemical is especially dangerous for children.
Most
nations have clear laws that dictate the amount of formaldehyde that can be
used in things like housing materials, but it can also be generated through
fuel burning stoves, It is also found in cheaply constructed “temporary”
structures, thanks to the relaxation of safety standards for such buildings.
The
issue of formaldehyde exposure was brought to the forefront in the
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