Formaldehyde

Toxicity

Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 42 mg/kg [Mouse].

Description

Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas with a distinctive pungent odor. It is the simplest aldehyde, which is a class of organic compounds with the carbonyl group bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. Formaldehyde was described by August Wilhelm von Hoff mann (1818–1892) in 1867 after the Russian Aleksandr Butlerov (1828–1886) had inadvertently synthesized it in 1857. Formaldehyde readily dissolves in water to produce a solution called formalin, which is commonly marketed as a 37% solution.

Description

Formaldehyde emissions from wood paneling, carpets, and tobacco smoke cause respiratory irritation, and possibly cancer, in some individuals. Forest fires also produce formaldehyde, and trace amounts of formaldehyde are a normal byproduct of human food metabolism. In 1969, formaldehyde''s microwave signature was detected in interstellar space.

Description

Formaldehyde is the simplest aldehyde.

The Uses of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is used in the manufactureof phenolic resins, cellulose esters, artificialsilk, dyes, explosives, and organic chemicals.Other uses are as a germicide, fungicide, anddisinfectant; in tanning, adhesives, waterproofingfabrics, and for tonic and chromeprinting in photography; and for treating skindiseases in animals. In vitro neutralizationof scorpion venom toxicity by formaldehydehas been reported (Venkateswarlu et al.1988).
Formaldehyde constitutes about 50% ofall aldehydes present in the air. It is oneof the toxic effluent gases emitted fromburning wood and synthetic polymeric substancessuch as polyethylene, nylon 6, andpolyurethane foams. Firefighters have a greaterrisk to its exposure. Incapacitation fromthe toxic effluent gases is reported to occurmore rapidly from the combustion of syntheticpolymers than from that of naturalcellulose materials.
Formaldehyde is directly emitted into theair from vehicles. It is released in traceamounts from pressed wood products suchas particleboard and plywood paneling, fromold “sick” buildings, and from cotton andcotton–polyester fabrics with selected crosslinkfinishes. Formation of formaldehyde hasbeen observed in some frozen gadoid fishdue to enzymic decomposition of the additivetrimethylamine oxide (Rehbein 1985).Its concentration can build up during frozenstorage of fish (Leblanc and Leblanc 1988;Reece 1985). It occurs in the upper atmosphere,cloud, and fog; it also forms inphotochemical smog processes.

The Uses of Formaldehyde

A slurry of the amine (50 mg, 0.12 mmol) and the aldehyde (31.6 mg, 0.18 mmol) in 1,4-Dioxane (3 mL) was stirred for 5 min then treated with NaBH(OAc)3 (77 mg, 0.363 mmol). After stirring 10 min, DCM was added to the reaction mixture. The resulting solution was washed with saturated aq NaHCO3, water, and brine. The organics were dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo to provide the product which was used in the next step without further purification.

Indications

Use for drying skin before or after surgical removal of warts or where dryness is required.

What are the applications of Application

Formaldehyde is a 37% (saturated) solution stabilized with methanol

Background

A highly reactive aldehyde gas formed by oxidation or incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. In solution, it has a wide range of uses: in the manufacture of resins and textiles, as a disinfectant, and as a laboratory fixative or preservative. Formaldehyde solution (formalin) is considered a hazardous compound, and its vapor toxic. (From Reynolds, Martindale The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p717)

Metabolism

Not Available