Formaldehyde

Prepared by:Sarthak modi(13BCH051)Fenil shah(13BCH052)

Topics:

INTRODUCTION

Forms of Formaldehyde

Hazards of Formaldehyde

Production

Manufacturers of formaldehyde

INTRODUCTION Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring compound with the formula

CH2O or HCHO. It’s IUPAC name is methanal.

Molecular weight - 30.03

Flash point – 60 0C

It is a colorless gas with poisonous odor. It is easily miscible with

water.

Its Boiling point is 96 0C & Melting point is -15 0C.

Commercial formaldehyde is produced & sold as an aqueous

solution containing 37 to 50 % formaldehyde by weight.

Formaldehyde is the primary cause of methanol's toxicity, since

methanol is metabolized (metabolism – The complete set of

reactions that occur in living cells.) into formaldehyde by alcohol

dehydrogenation.

Formaldehyde does not accumulate in the environment, because it

is broken down within a few hours by sunlight or by bacteria

present in soil or water.

Humans metabolize formaldehyde quickly, so it does not

accumulate, and is converted to formic acid in the body.

Formaldehyde can result from combustion of carbon compounds

like; wood products, tobacco, automobile exhaust etc.

Sunlight and bacteria in the environment break down formaldehyde

The human body quickly metabolizes formaldehyde converting it

into formic acid

Formic acid in large amounts and concentrations can be harmful

Ant bites contain formic acid

Forms of formaldehyde : Formaldehyde is more complicated than many simple carbon compounds in

that it adopts several different forms.

One important derivative is cyclic trimer metaformaldehyde or 1,3,5-

trioxane with the formula (CH2O)3.

There is also an infinite polymer called paraformaldehyde. These compounds

have similar chemical properties to the molecule CH2O.

A saturated water solution, of about 40% formaldehyde by volume or 37% by

mass, is called "100% formalin".

When dissolved in water, formaldehyde forms a hydrate, methanediol, with

the formula H2C(OH)2.

Hazards of formaldehyde: In classifying the hazards of formaldehyde, at least the following

hazards are to be addressed by the employer:

Cancer;

Skin and respiratory sensitization;

Eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation;

Acute toxicity effects;

Flammability

Production of formaldehyde:1. Formaldehyde is produced industrially by the catalytic oxidation

of methanol.

The most common catalysts are silver metal or a mixture of

an iron and molybdenum or vanadium oxides.

In the commonly used formox process, methanol and oxygen react

at 250–400 °C in presence of iron oxide in combination with

molybdenum and/or vanadium to produce formaldehyde according

to the chemical equation:

2. The silver-based catalyst usually operates at a higher temperature,

about 650 °C. Two chemical reactions on it simultaneously

produce formaldehyde: that shown above and

the dehydrogenation reaction:

3.In principle, formaldehyde could be generated by oxidation

of methane, but this route is not industrially viable because the

formaldehyde is more easily oxidized than methane.

4. Calcium formate is heated at high temperature for the production of

formaldehyde.

5. Formaldehyde can also be generated by the reaction of ethene with

ozone in the presence of Pd catalyst.

Manufacturer of formaldehyde in world Annual production volume of main producers of formaldehyde

1) BASF-Germany(720)

2) Dynea, the Netherlands(650)

3) Perstorp Formox, the Netherlands(550)

4) Bayer, Germany(271)

5) Ercros, Spain(400)

Manufacturer of formaldehyde in India Aldehydes India group-150 MT per day

Kothari group

Balaji Formalin pvt. ltd.-2500 MT per month

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