FORMALDEHYDE Meaning and
Definition
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Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a strong, pungent odor, derived from methanol and often used in various industrial processes and consumer products. With the chemical formula CH2O, formaldehyde is the simplest form of aldehyde. It is highly flammable and commonly used as a disinfectant, preservative, and reagent in diverse applications.
Formaldehyde holds significant importance in the manufacturing of various materials, including plastics, fibers, resins, and coatings. It is also widely utilized in the production of adhesives, such as those used in plywood, particleboard, and other composite wood products. Moreover, formaldehyde is utilized in the creation of vaccines, embalming fluids, and laboratory chemicals.
While formaldehyde occurs naturally in the environment in very small amounts, exposure to elevated levels can be harmful and even toxic to humans and animals. Prolonged inhalation or direct contact with formaldehyde can cause irritation to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin. Additionally, it is classified as a probable carcinogen by organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Due to the potential health risks associated with formaldehyde exposure, regulations and standards have been established to limit its use and emission levels. Various countries and industries have set limits on the amount of formaldehyde that can be present in certain consumer products to ensure safety for individuals and minimize environmental impact.
Top Common Misspellings for FORMALDEHYDE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for FORMALDEHYDE
- formaldihide
- formaldyhide
- dormaldehyde
- cormaldehyde
- vormaldehyde
- gormaldehyde
- tormaldehyde
- rormaldehyde
- firmaldehyde
- fkrmaldehyde
Etymology of FORMALDEHYDE
The word formaldehyde is derived from the combination of two words: formic acid and aldehyde.
The first part, formic acid, comes from the Latin word formica, meaning ant. This is because the compound was first isolated from the venom of ants by the German pharmacist August Wilhelm von Hofmann in 1861. The name formic acid was given because of its apparent occurrence in ants.
The second part, aldehyde, originates from the Latin words alcohol and dehydrogenatum. Alcohol means spirit or essence, while dehydrogenatum means dehydrogenated or without hydrogen. It refers to the process of removing hydrogen from alcohols to create aldehydes.
Therefore, when formic acid and aldehyde are combined, they form formaldehyde.
Similar spelling words for FORMALDEHYDE
- formalness,
- formalize,
- formality,
- formlessly,
- form letter,
- formalities,
- formalise,
- formalized,
- formalwear,
- formalised,
- formal garden.
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