Dipole moment characterization of phenol–, o-cresol–, and p-cresol–formaldehyde resins

Dipole moments and their temperature dependence have been measured in p-dioxane for fractionated novolac phenol–, o-cresol–, and p-cresol–formaldehyde polymers. The phenol–formaldehyde fractions covered a molecular weight range of 200 to 6100, and the limiting dipole moment ratio 〈μ²〉/xm² is 1.48. The p-cresol–formaldehyde dipole-moment ratio at a DP of 4 is 2.47, whereas the phenol–formaldehyde dipole-moment ratio is 1.40. That for o-cresol–formaldehyde is intermediate in value. The dipole-moment temperature coefficients are positive for p-cresol chains and negative for the phenol–formaldehyde chains. These results indicate that the hydroxyl groups along the p-cresol–formaldehyde polymer are highly ordered, with the aromatic rings closer to the sterically hindered planar position than in the phenol–formaldehyde polymers.     

A fluorescent dosimeter for formaldehyde determination using the Nash reagent in silica gel beads

Based on the Nash reagent embedded in silica gel beads as a recognition element, a fluorescent dosimeter for formaldehyde determination is established. The system can act as a fluorescent off–on switch for the qualitative detection of formaldehyde. The fluorescence emission of the Nash reagent-loaded silica gel beads is “switches off” (or very low) before exposure to formaldehyde, while fluorescence can be switched on when the beads are contacted with formaldehyde. The slope of fluorescence time scan spectra changes with formaldehyde concentration, which constitutes the basis of quantitative determination of formaldehyde concentration. The formaldehyde can also be semi-quantitatively measured in a naked-eye-detectable fashion. No response of this dosimeter to primary alcohols, ketones and other common substances was observed. The dosimeter is sensitive, inexpensive, a disposable, and simple in operation.     

Portable formaldehyde monitoring device using porous glass sensor and its applications in indoor air quality studies

We have developed a portable device for formaldehyde monitoring with both high sensitivity and high temporal resolution, and carried out indoor air formaldehyde concentration analysis. The absorbance difference of the sensor element was measured in the monitoring device at regular intervals of, for example, one hour or 30 min, and the result was converted into the formaldehyde concentration. This was possible because we found that the lutidine derivative that was formed as a yellow product of the reaction between 1-phenyl-1,3-butandione and formaldehyde was stable in porous glass for at least six months. We estimated the reaction rate and to be 0.049 min⁻¹ and the reaction occurred quickly enough for us to monitor hourly changes in the formaldehyde concentration. The detection limit was 5 μg m⁻³ h. We achieved hourly formaldehyde monitoring using the developed device under several indoor conditions, and estimated the air exchange rate and formaldehyde adsorption rate, which we adopted as a new term in the mass balance equation for formaldehyde, in one office.     

The Electro‐Oxidation of Formaldehyde at a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

Abstract

The characteristics of the boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode in this work were studied by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The electro‐oxidation of formaldehyde at the BDD electrode in 0.5 M K₂SO₄ with different pH was studied by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. There is no significant oxidation peak of formaldehyde in acidic solution because the oxidation of formaldehyde is at the potential range of water discharge. However, in neutral solution, there is a well‐defined oxidation peak at about +2.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The relation between the response current and formaldehyde concentration is linear behavior at the concentration range from 50 to 600 µM. Besides, in neutral solution, the oxidation of formaldehyde is dominated by indirect oxidation at lower formaldehyde concentration, and it is dominated by direct oxidation at higher concentration. Finally, in alkaline solution, the oxidation of formaldehyde is dominated by indirect oxidation caused by a powerful oxidant and is related to the ratio of the amounts of formaldehyde and OH molecules at the BDD electrode surface.     

The formation of ultralow-density microcellular diane-formaldehyde gels and aerogels

A diane–formaldehyde aerogel is synthesized via a new two-step approach consisting of the sol–gel polycondensation of diane and formaldehyde. The first stage affords individual polymethylol phenols; at the second stage, these are cured in an alkaline solution at 225°С via the introduction of an additional amount of formaldehyde. The diane–formaldehyde gel is isolated for the first time from the initial solution at a minimum possible concentration of gel formation of 1 mg/mL. The aerogel is obtained during supercritical drying of the diane–formaldehyde gel. The density of the ultralow-density microcellular aerogels reaches 10.9 mg/cm³, and their specific surface area amounts to 340–716 m²/g. The features, structures, and properties of the resulting diane–formaldehyde gels are studied.     

A biochemical sniffer-chip for convenient analysis of gaseous formaldehyde from timber materials

A biochemical gas-sensor (sniffer-chip) with formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH) was developed for convenient analysis of gaseous formaldehyde with high gas-selectivity. The sniffer-chip for formaldehyde in the gas phase was constructed by immobilizing FALDH to a Pt-electrode coated hydrophilic PTFE membrane. The oxidation current of NADH produced by the enzymatic reactions was measured by amperometric analysis. The calibration range of the sniffer-chip for formaldehyde in the gas phase was from 40 to 2000 ppb, which encountered the maximum permissible concentration of formaldehyde vapor in the residential house (80 ppb) and formaldehyde detection limit for the human sense of smell (410 ppb). As the resident-environmental application, the sniffer-chip was possible to measure the formaldehyde concentration from some timber materials (3 kinds of interior timber and 2 kinds of exterior formwork timber) within 3 min. The calculated concentration value by a regression analysis was consistent with those of a commercially available gas sensor and a gas detector tube for formaldehyde. The FALDH sniffer-tip would be effective and convenient approach to detect and measure gaseous formaldehyde with high gas-selectivity at the residential atmosphere. Correspondence: Kohji Mitsubayashi, Department of Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan     

柱前衍生-萃取阻断反应-高效液相色谱法测定化妆品中游离甲醛

建立了柱前衍生化-萃取阻断反应-高效液相色谱(HPLC)测定化妆品中甲醛的方法。化妆品中甲醛检测的难点是: 甲醛缓释剂类防腐剂在衍生过程中释放甲醛,影响游离甲醛的准确测定。以2,4-二硝基苯肼(DNPH)乙腈溶液-磷酸盐缓冲液(pH 2)(1:1, v/v)为提取溶液,于室温下快速衍生2 min后,立即加入二氯甲烷萃取,阻断衍生反应,经乙腈稀释后进行HPLC测定。以Agilent C18柱(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm)为分离柱,乙腈-水(60:40, v/v)为流动相,流速为1.0 mL/min,于355 nm波长下检测。在洗发水、乳液、膏霜、洗手液、牙膏、指甲油、粉饼中分别添加50、100、500、1000 μg/g 4个浓度水平的甲醛,其回收率为81%～106%,相对标准偏差(n=6)＜5.0%。方法的定量限(以信噪比(S/N)＞10计)为50 μg/g。该方法快速、简便、重现性好,且可以有效避免甲醛缓释剂类防腐剂分解释放甲醛,适用于化妆品中游离甲醛的测定。     

Bioremediation Potential of Formaldehyde by the Marine Microalga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nannochloropsis oculata</Emphasis> ST-3 Strain

The present work is intended to investigate biodegradation of formaldehyde by the marine microalga Nannochloropsis oculata ST-3 strain. Formaldehyde concentration in the medium decreased with the growth of the ST-3 strain. It is observed that the degradation of formaldehyde concentration depends on the increased cell number of the ST-3 strain. The ST-3 strain which was adapted to formaldehyde stepwise was able to tolerate to 19.9 ppm formaldehyde and degrade 99.3% of it in the medium for 22 days. Tolerance and degradation ability of formaldehyde by the ST-3 strain was improved by stepwise increasing of the formaldehyde concentration. Transformation of [¹³C]formaldehyde in the medium with the passage of incubation was monitored by using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. Formaldehyde was transformed into formate, and these two substances degraded in the medium with the passage of incubation as clearly shown by the NMR spectrum.     

Development of an Advanced Process for Manufacturing Polyacetal Resin

Abstract

An advanced process for manufacturing polyacetal resin has been developed. First, a new technology for the production of highly concentrated aqueous formaldehyde was developed by oxidizing methylal. Whereas the oxidation of methanol yields 1 mol water per mole formaldehyde, methylal oxidation produces only 1 mol water for every 3 mol formaldehyde. Thus, the output from methylal oxidation is more than 70% formaldehyde, compared with 55% from methanol oxidation. Second, a new extraction distillation process for formaldehyde purification was developed in order to get highly purified formaldehyde directly from formalin. By using highly purified formaldehyde, an end-capped polymer was obtained in the presence of acetic anhydride as a chain transfer or end-capping agent during polymerization. Third, the relatively high formaldehyde concentration enhances the formation of trioxane. Purified trioxane is copolymerized with ethylene oxide in the presence of an end-capping agent to get an end-capped polymer with high thermal stability. Two new intermediates from the initiation reaction of the copolymerization, 1,3,5,7-tetraoxacyclononane (TOCN) and 1,3,5,7,10-pentaoxacyclododecane (POCD), were isolated, and a new initiation mechanism was proposed. Fourth, the world's first acetal block copolymer was commercialized by the polymerization of formaldehyde in the presence of a lubricant functional polymer having an active hydrogen atom. This acetal block copolymer exhibits super lubrication properties.     

Spectrophotometric determination of formaldehyde by using formaldehyde dehydrogenase

A new method for the determination of formaldehyde by using formaldehyde dehydrogenase is described. The method is based on the quantitative oxidation of formaldehyde with oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), in the presence of formaldehyde dehydrogenase, to form the reduced dinucleotide (NADH). This enzyme does not require glutathione as a co-factor and the NADH produced, which is directly proportional to the concentration of formaldehyde in the assay solution, is then measured spectrophotometrically at 340 nm. Formaldehyde can be determined in the range 0.3–8.0 μg ml^?1 (1.0×10^?5–2.7× 10^?4 M) with a sensitivity of 0.216 absorbance/ μg ml^?1 (0.0065 absorbance/μM). Optimal conditions and the selectivity of this enzyme toward formaldehyde are described.     

Evaluation of Formaldehyde in Foundry Waste Sands Using Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

The industrial manufacturing of metallic objects results in a high level of foundry waste sands that may contain toxic compounds such as formaldehyde. The formaldehyde content of foundry waste sands was evaluated by liquid chromatography. Samples were collected during various steps of the industrial processes. Results showed that the phenolic alkaline process generated waste sands with higher formaldehyde content than the furanic process; the highest value was 7.6 × 10^?3% (w/w). In this work, formaldehyde content decreased with time in all of the samples studied, revealing that most formaldehyde was released to the occupational environment.     

Assembled Organoruthenium(II) for Formaldehyde Decomposition and Hydrogen Production

Formaldehyde decomposition is not only an attractive method for hydrogen production, but also a potential approach for gaseous formaldehyde removal. In this research, we prepare some assembled organoruthenium through coordination reaction between Ru(p-Cymene)Cl₂ and bridge-linking ligands. It is a creative approach for Ru(p-Cymene)Cl₂ conversion into heterogeneous particles. The rigidity of bridge-linking ligand enables assembled organoruthenium to have highly ordered crystalline structure, even show clear crystal lattice with spacing of 0.19 nm. XPS shows the N−Ru bond are formed between bridge-linking ligand and Ru(p-Cymene)Cl₂. The assembled organoruthenium has high abundant active sites for formaldehyde decomposition at low temperature. The reaction rate could increase linearly with temperature and formaldehyde concentration, with a TOF of 2420 h⁻¹ at 90 °C. It is promising for gaseous formaldehyde decomposition in wet air or nitrogen. Formaldehyde conversion is up to 95 % over Ru-DAPM is 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane at 90 °C in air. Gaseous formaldehyde decomposition is a two-steps process under oxygen-free condition. Firstly, formaldehyde dissolve in water, and be converted into hydrogen and formic acid through formaldehyde-water shift reaction. Then intermediate formic acid will further decompose into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. We also find formaldehyde decomposition is a synergetic catalysis process of oxygen and water in moist air. Oxygen is conducive to formic acid desorption and decomposition on the active sites, so assembled organoruthenium exhibit slightly higher conversion for formaldehyde decomposition in moist air. This work proposes a distinctive method for gaseous formaldehyde decomposition in the air, which is entirely different from formaldehyde photocatalysis or thermocatalysis oxidation.     

Radiochemische Bestimmung von Formaldehyd in Fasermaterial

The usual determination of formaldehyde by gravimetry and spectroscopy extends down to 10^?3 mg with only limited reproducibility. Radiochemical analysis using¹⁴C-labelled formaldehyde allows to determine amounts of 10^?4 to 10^?5 mg. This technique was, therefore, applied to detect reliably the amount of formaldehyde proportional to the activity in viscose rayon, spun in a formaldehyde containing spinning bath by using an ionisation chamber assay. The objects investigated were found to contain 2·10^?5 mg to 1.4·10^?4 mg formaldehyde, the relative error being lower than 4%. The scope of application of this method is discussed.     

Urea-formaldehyde resins. III. Constitutional characterization by 13C fourier transform NMR spectroscopy

¹³C Fourier transform NMR has been used to characterize a random chemical structure of ureaformaldehyde resins. By comparison of ¹³C chemical shifts with synthesized standard derivatives from urea and formaldehyde the analysis of reacted formaldehyde was completed. In a ¹³C spectrum of resin each signal due to reacted formaldehyde (e.g., methylol group, methylene group, and dimethylene ether group) was isolated. Measurement of a ¹³C spectrum of resin by the gated decoupling of proton without nuclear Overhauser effect made a quantitative analysis of reacted formaldehyde possible. In this quantitative analysis a ¹³C quantity of carbonyl groups in urea residue can be directly compared with that of each combined formaldehyde.     

On-line collection/concentration of trace amounts of formaldehyde in air with chromatomembrane cell and its sensitive determination by flow injection technique coupled with spectrophotometric and fluorometric detection

A simple, rapid and highly sensitive method for the determination of trace amounts of formaldehyde in air by using flow injection analysis (FIA) system coupled with a three-hole chromatomembrane cell (CMC) was investigated by using a spectrophotometer and a fluorometer. The CMC was applied to on-line collection/concentration of trace amounts of formaldehyde in air into water as an absorbing solution; formaldehyde in the air was found to be quantitatively transferred into the absorbing solution in CMC. The solution, containing absorbed formaldehyde, was introduced into the carrier stream of the FIA system. The amount of formaldehyde in an absorbing solution was measured spectrophotometrically and fluorometrically after the reaction with a mixed reagent of acetylacetone and ammonium acetate at pH 5.6–5.8. The amount of formaldehyde in the absorbing solution, measured by the proposed system, could be converted to the concentration of formaldehyde in the air sample. A calibration graph prepared by a series of standard formaldehyde aqueous solutions was adopted. The formaldehyde in indoor air, determined as exampled by the proposed spectrophotometric FIA, was found to be 5.14 ± 0.08 ppbv for 20 ml of the air sample at the air flow rate of 6 ml min⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) was 1.56%. The limit of detections (LODs) of HCHO in an absorbing solution was 2 × 10⁻⁸ M (0.6 ppb) and 8 × 10⁻⁹ M (0.2 ppb), respectively, by the spectrophotometric and the fluorometric FIA, and the LODs of HCHO in air sample of 40 ml were 0.05 and 0.03 ppbv, respectively. The interferences from foreign species were examined; tolerable concentrations of other aldehydes were more than 50-fold of formaldehyde (1 × 10⁻⁶ M).     

Quantitative Analysis of Formaldehyde Using UV‐VIS Spectrophotometer Pattern Recognition and Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract

This study is focused on the quantitative analysis of formaldehyde in aqueous solution using a Fluoral‐P reagent and describes the characterization of the reaction, including the effect of reagent concentrations, pH, response time, dynamic range, reproducibility, photostability, and selectivity by using an ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐VIS) spectrophotometer. The relative standard deviation value was 1.79 to 2.12%. The dynamic range of the complex gives a linear stimulation of 0.00 to 3.60 ppm for the concentration of formaldehyde. The reproducibility of this study is high, with 1.79 and 2.12% for 20 and 40 ppm of formaldehyde, respectively. The interference from acetaldehyde (formaldehyde: acetaldehyde=1:100) was lower than 2.10%. In addition, the application of artificial neural networks to quantitative analysis for formaldehyde has also been done in this study to optimize the dynamic range of formaldehyde involved in the formation of Fluoral‐P–formaldehyde complex. A three‐layer feed‐forward network and the back propagation algorithm‐operated training process were used in this study. For quantitative analysis of formaldehyde, artificial neural networks, networking with 23 hidden neurons and 40,000 cycle numbers with 0.001% learning rate, produce the best training results, with sum‐squared error value 0.5847.     

激光诱导荧光法测量内燃机双燃料燃烧过程中的甲醛和羟基

双燃料燃烧是一种实现内燃机高效清洁燃烧的新型燃烧方式,国内外对燃用双燃料的内燃机性能和排放开展了较为广泛的研究,但对双燃料缸内燃烧过程的认识有待深入.本文搭建了一套光学发动机缸内燃烧中间产物激光测试系统,该系统可以实现甲醛和羟基(OH)的二维同时定性测量.为了验证该激光诊断系统的可行性,首先在甲烷层流预混火焰上对甲醛和羟基的激光诱导荧光(LIF)光谱和图像进行采集,确定甲醛和OH激发波长分别为355和282.95 nm.随后在光学发动机上对双燃料缸内燃烧过程中甲醛和羟基进行了非同时测量,分析了双燃料燃烧双阶段放热过程中甲醛和OH分布区域.光学发动机转速为1200 r·min^-1,循环当量总油量为30 mg正庚烷.进气冲程初期气道喷射异辛烷,上止点前10°曲轴转角在缸内直喷9 mg正庚烷.激光诱导荧光成像表明,甲醛生成于低温放热阶段,主要分布在缸内直喷燃油油束附近区域,之后甲醛充满整个燃烧室空间;高温放热过程中燃烧室壁面附近区域的甲醛首先消耗,伴随甲醛消耗OH首先出现于燃烧室边缘,高温放热阶段过后,甲醛基本消失, OH逐渐充满整个燃烧室.最后对双燃料缸内燃烧过程甲醛和OH同时测量发现,甲醛消耗伴随OH的产生,甲醛和OH分布区域总体而言在空间上是分开存在的,但在局部区域甲醛和OH可能并存.     

Simultaneous determination of formaldehyde and methanol by flow-injection catalytic spectrophotometry

A flow-injection method is proposed for the simultaneous catalytic determination of formaldehyde and methanol on the basis of the catalytic action of formaldehyde upon the redox reaction between crystal violet and potassium bromate in a phosphoric acid medium and on-line oxidization of methanol into formaldehyde using a lead dioxide solid-phase reactor. The indicator reaction is monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the decrease in the absorbance of crystal violet at the maximum absorption wavelength of 610 nm. A technique based on three sampling loops with a single injection valve is developed. The flow-injection system produces a signal of main peak with two shoulders of the same height. The height of the shoulders corresponds to the formaldehyde concentration, and the height difference between the shoulders and the main peak corresponds to the methanol concentration. The detection limit is 0.1 μg/mL for formaldehyde and 1.0 μg/mL for methanol with the sampling rate of 10 samples per hour. The relative standard deviations for 11 replicate determinations of formaldehyde (1.0 μg/mL) and methanol (10 μg/mL) are 1.1 and 2.1%, respectively. The method has been successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of formaldehyde and methanol in some gas samples. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Enhanced Formaldehyde‐Vapor Adsorption Capacity of Polymeric Amine‐Incorporated Aminosilicas

Airborne formaldehyde, which is a highly problematic volatile organic compound (VOC) pollutant, is adsorbed by polymeric amine‐incorporated silicas (aminosilicas), and the factors that affect the adsorption performance are systematically investigated. Three different types of polymeric amines 1) poly(ethyleneimine) branched (PEIBR); 2) poly(ethyleneimine) linear (PEILI); and 3) poly(allylamine) (PAA) are impregnated into two types of porous silicas [SBA‐15 and mesocellular foam (MCF) silicas] with systematic changes of the amine loadings. The adsorption results demonstrate that the adsorption capacity increases along with the amine loading until the polymeric amines completely fill the silica pores. This results in the MCF silica, which has a larger pore volume and hence can accommodate more polymeric amine before completely filling the pore, giving materials that adsorb more formaldehyde, with the largest adsorption capacity, q, of up to 5.7 mmol_HCHO g^?1 among the samples studied herein. Of the three different types of polymers, PAA, comprised of 100 % primary amines, showed the highest amine efficiency μ (mmol_HCHO/mmol_N) for capturing formaldehyde. The chemical structures of the adsorbed formaldehyde are analyzed by ¹³C cross‐polarization magic‐angle spinning (CP‐MAS) NMR, and it is demonstrated that the adsorbed formaldehyde is chemically attached to the aminosilica surface, forming hemiaminal and imine species. Because the chemical adsorption of formaldehyde forms covalent bonds, it is not desorbed from the aminosilicas below 130 °C based on temperature‐programed‐desorption (TPD) analysis. The high formaldehyde‐adsorption capacity and stability of the trapped formaldehyde on the amine surface in this study reveal the potential utility of aminosilicas as formaldehyde abatement materials.     

气体中甲醛含量测定能力验证实验注意事项

为了促进用分光光度法测定气态甲醛样品中甲醛含量的能力验证实验,通过气态甲醛样品中甲醛含量的测定实验,对实验过程进行探讨。为了提高检测结果的准确性应注意如下事项:气路各个环节保持良好密封;连接气袋与气瓶或采样管的塑料软管尽量短;由气瓶往气袋放气时,控制气体流量和放气时间;采样时,气袋中的甲醛气体温度应与环境温度一致;合理选择采样流量和采样时间;确保采样前后采样器的流量一样;使用甲醛标准物质进行质量控制;标准系列的浓度范围与能力验证样品接近。