Phenol and formaldehyde in building materials?
Phenol and formaldehyde are antiheroes of the building field. When someone wants to say something bad about any material they always mention these two. These undoubtedly affect local users. Let's see, are they really that scary?
What are phenol and formaldehyde in users' heads?
In local users, phenol formaldehyde-this is a resin, within materials and merchandise swells in the making process. This resin then vaporizes and enters our body, thereby affecting it negatively.
Phenol, formaldehyde, and phenol formaldehyde are different substances?
If we are talking about building materials, here is phenol formaldehyde-which is made by phenol and formaldehyde reaction. Substance represents hard resin, therefore it is difficult to get into the organism. Of course, we do not use OSB tile for food. The main issue is the material that goes into the air. Due to this, the focus is primarily on other components, such as phenol and formaldehyde emissions.
Standardly there are 3 phases of emission:
▪ Е1 - 0,1 ppm, 0,125 mg/m³;
▪ Е2 - 0,1 - 1,0 ppm, 0,125 - 1,25 mg/m³;
▪ E3 - 1,0 - 2,3 ppm, 1,25 - 2,87 mg/m³.
In which building material meets phenol formaldehyde?
Often phenol and formaldehyde sources are called furniture made by DSP tiles. You can hear often the expression “poisonous furniture with wood-chip tiles”. However, what the users did not know is that phenol formaldehyde is a connector component for various substances. For example mdf, osb, mineral warmers, laminate floor, etc.
If every composition in the material is scary, then what are we going to do about wood? As a rule, wood is a formaldehyde source, but the emissions indicator is law.
Where else do we meet phenol and formaldehyde?
You will be surprised, but many healing substance contains phenol. Formaldehyde is used in cosmetic and healing drugs as a solvent. In nature, we can meet formaldehyde in grunt, food (juices and milk) especially its big quantity in smoked products where the concentration can reach 260mg/kg, and beet can contain 35mg/kg.
In difference of these products, we are not going to eat mineral cotton that’s why emissions showings are important for us.
Are the building materials phenol and formaldehyde the main source?
Phenol and formaldehyde are released by combustion. For example, the content of this substance in bonfire smoke may be as much as 7%. You may not agree with us here, because we live in a house all the time, and we can inhale the smoke of a bonfire once a month. Here are some examples of sources of phenol and formaldehyde:
- a process of car fuel burning
- airplane fuel-burning
- even the cigarette is a phenol and formaldehyde source, for example, one track cigarette releases 0.14mg phenol and 2 mg formaldehyde
- phenol and formaldehyde source is junkyard
- interesting fact: human organism contains phenol and formaldehyde which are released while breathing
Does phenol and formaldehyde accumulate in our body?
This is a myth! Phenol and formaldehyde Actively react with various substances, therefore they have no accumulating skill releasing our from the human body in 24 hours. The release time of nicotine from the body is up to 50 hours, if someone is in a room where phenol and formaldehyde concentrations are 10 times higher than the norm, they will inhale 4.5 times less phenol and 20 times less formaldehyde than when smoking one pack of cigarette.
Why do DSP and furniture have a bad smell?
If phenol and formaldehyde are safe, then why do some furniture smell bad? Such furniture is manufactured with old equipment that cannot provide the required density for the material, therefore the strength of the material needs to increase the formaldehyde content. As a result, emissions increase.
Are phenol and formaldehyde emissions proceeding from the material at the same rate?
Emissions are influenced by various factors, with higher levels observed in the initial months, followed by a gradual decrease. Violations of storage conditions can lead to an increase in formaldehyde emissions.
Are phenol and formaldehyde dangerous for human health?
To answer this question, it is important to know the concentration of the substance. For example: some medications, when taken in the required dose, are beneficial for the body, but if taken in excess, will adversely affect the body. According to the international classification, phenol becomes toxic only at concentrations above 50%, and formaldehyde at more than 25%.
Conclusion-are these substances dangerous?
Concerning phenol and formaldehyde, we need to know that in everyday life they are constantly around us, and we cannot completely isolate them from them. Neither is necessary because, in allowable doses, phenol and formaldehyde are safe for human health.
As for building materials and furniture, we need to understand the emission of materials, to request a certificate.
Emission class E1 is allowed according to the European standard.