In 2004, formaldehyde gas was classified as �carcinogenic to humans� by the international Agency for Research on Cancer. In July 2010, new regulations were established for decreasing the allowable formaldehyde emissions from nonstructural wood composites. Several studies have been conducted on measuring and lowering the formaldehyde emissions of wood composites adhesive binders, but native-wood formaldehyde emission has received little attention and it is not completely understood. Wood formaldehyde emissions vary broadly and there is confliction among different reports regarding this concept; but it is revealed that native emissions are dependent on tree species, tissue maturity and moisture content (Roffael 2006, Weigl et al. 2009, Schafer and Roffael 2000, Mayer and Boehme, 1997).In wood composites industry, wood is exposed to different thermal treatments (during drying and hot pressing), and it is also found that thermal treatment generate more formaldehyde(Schafer and Roffael 2000).Biogenic and synthetic formaldehyde exists in a complex equilibrium within the woody matrix, as crudely depicted below (Figure 1).Figure 1.  Complex equilibria of the Biogenic and synthetic formaldehyde exists in woody matrixThis study addresses a novel liquid extraction method for determining the quantity of formaldehyde present within the woody matrix.

Novel liquid extraction method for detecting native-wood formaldehyde

248th National Meeting (2014)

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