Formaldehyde in MDF Panels
May 22, 2010 // Posted by: qwcdirect // Category: Construction Materials, Home Construction, Home Improvement
Formaldehyde is the fundamental metabolic intermediate in all living cells produced during the normal metabolism but does not build up in the body. It can cause serious health issues at extreme concentrations as Formaldehyde is the essential part of the adhesive used to unite the wood fiber which forms MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard Panels. MDF is a wood based panel made from wood fiber sunder heat and pressure with an adhesive. There can be no MDF without Formaldehyde. But the absorption of Formaldehyde which out –gases from MDF has little or no health risk. Formaldehyde can be dangerous for health only if the concentration level is very high.
Over hundred of years this simple compound has been used as a gas at a room temperature by mankind. In this era Formaldehyde is use as a raw material in 85 industries for the production of daily products like paints, varnishes, cosmetics, disinfectants and medicines. Due to its myriad uses MDF put in houses, offices, public buildings factories. MDF is produced in factories under restricted conditions which observe the most stringent necessity for Formaldehyde content.
May 23rd, 2010 at 5:07 pm
There are MDF and other press wood products that use resins that are NOT formaldehyde based.
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments set a RESIDENTIAL limit of formaldehyde at 7 ppb.