Formaldehyde

Description

Formaldehyde · CAS 50-00-0 · CH2O. UNII 1HG84L3525. Boiling Point: -6 °F at 760 mmHg (NIOSH, 2024); Boiling Point: 214 °F at 760 mmHg (NIOSH, 2024); Boiling Point: -19.1.

Identification

Computed Descriptors

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical description & handling notes

• Solids containing varying amounts of formaldehyde, probably as paraformaldehyde (polymers of formula HO(CH2O)xH where x averages about 30). A hazard to the environment. Immediate steps should be taken to limit spread to the environment.
• Large Crystals; CBI; Dry Powder; Gas Vapor; Wet Solid; Liquid
• Nearly colorless gas with a pungent, suffocating odor; Formalin is an aqueous solution that is 37% formaldehyde by weight; inhibited solutions contain 6-12 % methyl alcohol. [NIOSH] Sold as water solutions containing 37%, 44%, or 50% formaldehyde; [ACGIH]
• Colorless liquid with a pungent odor; Formalin is an aqueous solution that is 37 % formaldehyde by weight; inhibited solutions contain 6-12 % methyl alcohol; [NIOSH]
• Liquid
• COLOURLESS GAS WITH PUNGENT ODOUR.

Regulatory Status

GHS Hazard Classification

Documented Uses

• Formaldehyde is used predominantly as a chemical intermediate. It also has minor uses in agriculture, as an analytical reagent, in concrete and plaster additives, cosmetics, disinfectants, fumigants, photography, and wood preservation. One of the most common uses of formaldehyde in the U.S is manufacturing urea-formaldehyde resins, used in particleboard products.
• Used in the production of formaldehyde resins, plywood, particle board, paper, and urea-formaldehyde foam; embalmers and laboratory workers may be exposed to levels above 1 ppm; [LaDou, p. 502-3] The major industrial consumers of formaldehyde resins are molded plastic parts, decorative laminates, photographic film, and plywood paneling. High formaldehyde exposures were documented in carpet installers and parquet tile fitters. Formaldehyde also exists as a polymer (paraformaldehyde) and as a trimer (sym-trioxane or
• See 29CFR1910.1048 (Code of Federal Regulations)
• Molding and Core Making [Category: Foundry]
• Metal Machining [Category: Heat or Machine]
• Electroplating [Category: Plate]

Synonyms

formaldehyde; formalin; methanal; 50-00-0; formol; Formic aldehyde; Methylene oxide; Oxomethane; Oxymethylene; Methyl aldehyde; Superlysoform; Lysoform; Fannoform; Formalith; Formalina; Methaldehyde

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the CAS number and molecular formula of Formaldehyde?

CAS 50-00-0; molecular formula CH2O; molecular weight — g/mol.

What other names is Formaldehyde known by?

formaldehyde, formalin, methanal, 50-00-0, formol, Formic aldehyde.

What is the regulatory status of Formaldehyde?

Documented regulatory listings: FDA Substance added to food: FUMIGANT; FDA Cumulative Estimated Daily Intake (CEDI): FCS; FDA Inventory of Food Contact Substances Listed in 21 CFR: FCS.

Is Formaldehyde classified as hazardous?

0.1% of GHS notifications report no hazard classification (3 of 6451).

What are the key physical properties of Formaldehyde?

Boiling Point: -6 °F at 760 mmHg (NIOSH, 2024); Boiling Point: 214 °F at 760 mmHg (NIOSH, 2024); Boiling Point: -19.1; Boiling Point: -19.5 °C.

Facts on this page are taken from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine) and Wikidata. Grade-specific data — assay, moisture, particle size, packaging, shelf life — is issued per batch on the COA and is not published here.

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