Why is formaldehyde so toxic?

Formaldehyde is where you least expect it. If you ask most people, their first experience with formaldehyde arose in high school biology. Perhaps you recall biological specimens ominously afloat in jars of stinky liquid. read more

Materials containing formaldehyde can release formaldehyde gas or vapor into the air. One source of formaldehyde exposure in the air is automobile tailpipe emissions. During the 1970s, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was used in many homes. However, few homes are now insulated with UFFI. read more

Formaldehyde (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula CH 2 O (H-CHO). It is the simplest of the aldehydes (R-CHO). The common name of this substance comes from its similarity and relation to formic acid. Formaldehyde is an important precursor to many other materials and chemical compounds. read more