Living Well with Charise: November 2011

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong pungent, even pickle like smelling chemical. That is a flammable when in it's gas form at room temperature. It is also produced naturally in our bodies as part of our own natural, everyday metabolism, this kind causes no harm.

Formaldehyde is also known as

methanal
formalin
formol
methyl aldehyde
methylene oxide
morbicid acid
oxymethylene
CH2O

Formaldehyde is classified as a Volatile Organic Compound aka VOC.

So we have what it is, What are some of the different names it can be found under. I think it's time to talk about it's uses and where it can be found. I plan to go into detail with some of the uses and how it harms or helps us later.

Some of the uses for Formaldehyde:

Production of fertilzer
Production of paper
Production of plywood
Production of urea-formaldehyde resins
Production of well-drilling fluids
Production of latex
Tanning of leather
Used in wood preservation
Used in photographic film production
Used as a preservative in some foods (ie: dried foods, fish)
Used in the production of cosmetics
Used in the production of sugar
Used as a preservative for grains and seed dressings
Embalming Fluid
Used in hospitals and labs to preserve tissues and specimens

I know it seems a lot and truth be told I haven't finished researching everything. Like I want to know how it used in the production of sugar and why. And I have plans to keep this going later this week I would like to get part two up. Which will be about the health affects of formaldehyde, and then I will do one with a more of a break down of where you will run into formaldehyde in you every day life and why should should avoid it when given the chance.

Part two Health effect of formaldehyde can be found here