Formaldehyde

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

Topics:
v

INTRODUCTION

Forms of Formaldehyde

Hazards of Formaldehyde

Production

Manufacturers of formaldehyde

INTRODUCTION

Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring compound with the formula

CH2O or HCHO. Its 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

cyclictrimermetaformaldehyde or1,3,5-

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
ofmethanol.

The most common catalysts aresilvermetal or a mixture of

anironandmolybdenumorvanadiumoxides.

In the commonly usedformox process, methanol and oxygen react

at 250400C in presence of iron oxide in combination with
molybdenum and/or vanadium to produce formaldehyde according
to thechemical equation:

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

about 650C. Two chemical reactions on it simultaneously
produce formaldehyde: that shown above and
thedehydrogenationreaction:

3.In principle, formaldehyde could be generated by oxidation

ofmethane, 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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