Fabrics formaldehyde release rate

Unwashed new clothing samples (Table IIC), fiberglass insulation products with formaldehyde resins (Table IID), paper products (Table HE), fabrics (cotton, nylon, olefin, and blended) (Table HF), and carpets (Table HG), had substantially 3 to > 100 fold) lower formaldehyde release rate coefficients, as measured by this method, than did pressed wood products or urea formaldehyde foams (1, 15). 

A subpopulation with potentially high exposures to formaldehyde are residents of mobile homes due to the frequent use of pressed wood products and their low rate of air exchange (Wolff 1991). Members of the general population who come in contact with a large amount of unwashed permanent press fabrics treated with formaldehyde-releasing resins may also be exposed to high levels. 

Formaldehyde (CH2O) release was measured for seven types of consumer products pressed wood, urea formaldehyde foam materials, clothes, insulation, paper, fabric, and carpet. A modified Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) desiccator test was used to measure release rate coefficients and to rank 53 products. Ten pressed wood products and five urea formaldehyde foam products showed the highest CH2O releases (1-34 mg m 2.day"b The remainder, representing all product types, had lower releases ranging from 680 yg m 2.day to nondetectable levels. In other studies, CH2O release was measured in a ventilated chamber for single samples of particle board, plywood, insulation, and carpet. 

The relative ranking for each type of product on the basis of rate of release of formaldehyde per unit surface area was pressed wood products z formaldehyde foam clothes z insulation products z paper products > fabric > carpet. Considering the surface area of each type of product likely to be present in houses and the relative release rate coefficients. 

---