Precise laboratory and onsite quantification of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde’s adverse effects on human health are well documented; it is an irritant to eyes, nose, throat and skin, while high levels of exposure can increase the risk of cancer. Formaldehyde is ubiquitous to car interiors where levels are regularly higher than WHO recommendations. A report by INERIS (French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks) set a target of 30 ppb from 2015 – to be reduced in 2023 down to 10 ppb. 

The EU’s 2019/983 Directive set short term exposure limits of 15 minutes or more at 0.6 ppm and 0.3 ppm for exposure for up to 8 hours. Industrial and construction firms working regularly with formaldehyde have therefore needed to ensure that they have taken the necessary steps to monitor and control this insidious chemical. Chromatotec have several solutions for analysing formaldehyde levels in both indoor and outdoor air.

Continuous and online formaldehyde monitoring
Chromatotec’s airmo HCHO is a GC-FID based online formaldehyde, methanol and acetaldehyde analyser ubiquitous to solvent distillation processes and composite materials production facilities. Nitrogen and hydrogen generators are included with the airmo HCHO – so all that is required is a power supply to ensure precise, around-the-clock analysis. This rugged and reliable analyser, , unhindered by interferents and providing excellent linearity, monitors formaldehyde, methanol and acetaldehyde at levels of 0-100 ppb – with the data validated by a calibration standard within the device.

Portable analysers for onsite formaldehyde monitoring
Chromatotec also offer a portable and compact microfluidic formaldehyde analyser which can operate autonomously for 2 hours and provide detection levels down to 1 ppb – onsite measurements, with laboratory precision. This device can analyse DNPH ( 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) cartridges by extracting aldehydes from within. This unit is highly portable and is provided with a sturdy carrying case along with a battery-charger, sampling pipes and eluents, and weighs in at only 6.5 kg. 

Transportable HPLC system for formaldehyde analysis
Chromatotec’s HPLC system can be used both onsite and, in the lab, and provides operators with aldehyde quantification at ppt levels with excellent linearity up to high ppb levels. This device features a C18 column and UV detector and is a highly precise devise that requires solvents and to be operated by trained personnel. This analyser also includes a sampling unit with DNPH cartridges enabling the user to trap trace levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, carry out ultra-trace level analysis down to ppt in the laboratory or onsite.