Formaldehyde and VOC Testing

Indoor formaldehyde comes mainly from building and decorative materials, furniture, adhesives, paints and textiles. In paints, formaldehyde mostly originates from small amounts remaining in resins and solvents, or from aldehyde-based resins used as film-forming materials, which contain incompletely polymerized formaldehyde.

Even small amounts of formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Long-term inhalation of low doses can lead to chronic conditions such as respiratory disease, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, asthma and bronchitis. Controlling formaldehyde emission from products is therefore essential, and the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has set formaldehyde emission limits in many national standards (CNS) for paints.

The main film-forming substances in paints are mostly resins. Solvents are volatile liquids that dissolve or disperse these substances into a uniform liquid for easier application. In sunlight, volatile organic solvents react photochemically with nitrogen oxides to form ozone and smog, seriously degrading air quality.

Exposure to high concentrations of VOCs can cause stinging and watering eyes and inflammation of the nose and throat, and may trigger or worsen asthma and bronchitis. Short-term exposure may cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue, while long-term or chronic exposure can impair the central nervous and immune systems. The BSMI has therefore set VOC content limits in many national standards (CNS) for paints.