Concern about the possible health effects of formaldehyde emitted from wood based panel products manufactured with urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-formaldehyde (MF) binding resins has led to the development and increasing use of low emission products. The potential formaldehyde emission by wood-based panels is determined by a standard test ISO WD 12460 – TC 89/WG 5 N 117 following the current requirements in international product standards. This article describes the use of chamber tests to measure formaldehyde emission under normal temperature and humidity (Figure 1). The major source of formaldehyde in everyday life is in building and furniture materials, such as particleboard, plywood and medium density fibreboard (MDF). Formaldehyde is also used in some upholstery in automotive furnishing and furniture. The UF and MF resins used release formaldehyde in contact with water, e.g. water vapour breaks down the bonds to release the formaldehyde which evaporates as gas. Formaldehyde is irritating to human, causing headache, dizziness, nausea, respiratory, eye and skin irritation.

Main Research: Ridzuan Ramli