Formaldehyde Emission from Particleboard–A New Method for Determination

A new method is described for the quantitative determination of formaldehyde in air, particularly formaldehyde emission from particleboard. A sample volume of 1 liter air is sufficient for analysis in the range 0.1 to 1 mg/m3. The air sample is collected in a gas burette and the formaldehyde is then extracted in a small amount of water. The formaldehyde concentration in the water extract is determined by the acetylacetone method combined with fluorescence spectroscopy. Methods for measuring formaldehyde emission from particleboard on a small and convenient scale simulating practical conditions have been developed. A preconditioned board sample is placed in a desiccator, and an approximate equilibrium value for formaldehyde emission independent of board loading is determined. Having a sample of 200 cm2 in an air volume of 6 liter an equalization time of 2 hours is sufficient when the air is forced to circulate. For nondestructive testing of large specimens, the desiccator may be replaced with a bell. The equilibrium emission from urea type particleboard, preconditioned at 20?C and 65 percent RH, increases about four times when the temperature is raised from 20? to 35?C. The saturation concentration of formaldehyde above extremely dilute water solutions shows approximately the same temperature dependence.

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