Reduction Of Formaldehyde Emission Research Articles

Improving Indoor Air Quality: Using Polymate-777A as a Formaldehyde Scavenger to Decrease Formaldehyde Emission in Plywood Panels

Indoor air quality is significantly impacted by volatile organic compounds, with formaldehyde being a prominent concern due to its emission from wood composite products. Formaldehyde emissions from wood composite products is a big concern for the environment and people's health. This study focused at how effective a product called Polymate-777A, the additive used as a formaldehyde scavenger is in reducing the formaldehyde emissions from plywood. This study investigates the efficacy of Polymate-777A, a formaldehyde scavenger, in reducing formaldehyde emissions from plywood panels. Through a series of controlled experiments, it was evaluated the impact of varying concentrations of Polymate-777A on formaldehyde release, utilizing standardized testing methods to quantify emissions. Results indicate that the incorporation of Polymate-777A significantly reduces formaldehyde levels, enhancing the safety and environmental sustainability of plywood products. The Results revels that when 1.5% or more Polymate-777A was used as scavenger for plywood manufacturing, the plywood met the emission standards set by Japan and Europe for formaldehyde emissions. This study suggests that using Polymate-777A could be a good way to reduce formaldehyde emissions from wood products, which would be better for the environment and people's health.

Industrial boiler ash as an alternative for reducing formaldehyde emissions in medium-density fiberboards

ABSTRACT The study aimed to determine the feasibility of utilizing industrial boiler ash in the production of medium-density fiberboard, to reduce formaldehyde emissions without compromising physical and mechanical properties. Panels were manufactured with a density of 750 kg.m−³, employing 12% urea-formaldehyde resin and 1% paraffin emulsion, both with and without an ammonium sulfate-based catalyst. The production process involved cold pre-pressing followed by hot pressing at 180 °C and 40 kgf.cm−² for 10 min. The experimental plan varied in terms of the percentages of ash added to the adhesive (0%, 1%, 3%, and 5%) and the application of the catalyst. Both the properties of the adhesives and the panels were assessed. It became evident that both the catalyst and ash altered the adhesive properties. Regarding panel properties, the ash reduced formaldehyde emissions, but the catalyst had a more pronounced effect. The catalyst's impact on moisture content, bending strength (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) was observed, whereas ash positively influenced dimensional stability at 5% levels but adversely affected internal bond.

Study on the Thermal Condensation Mechanism of Dehydrogenated Polymer (DHP) and Glucuronic Acid.

The preparation of traditional wood-based panels mostly uses adhesives such as urea-formaldehyde resin and phenolic resin, which not only consumes petrochemical resources but also releases formaldehyde, posing potential health risks to the human body. Lignin, a natural adhesive in plant cells, is characterized by high reactivity, and it is expected to aid in the development of a new generation of green formaldehyde-free adhesives. However, current studies of lignin adhesives have revealed that while strides have been made in reducing formaldehyde emissions, its residual presence remains a concern, an issue which is compounded by inadequate water resistance. Dehydrogenated Polymer (DHP) has a lignin-like structure and good water resistance, offering a new option for the development of formaldehyde-free adhesives. In this paper, DHP and glucuronic acid were reacted with each other in a simulated hot-pressing environment to obtain DHP-glucuronic acid complex, and then the structure of the complex was characterized by infrared nuclear magnetic resonance to verify whether DHP can be efficiently connected with hemicellulose components under hot-pressing conditions. The results showed that the thermal condensation reaction of DHP and glucuronic acid can generate ester bonds at the Cα position in a simulated hot-pressing environment. This paper explores the thermal condensation mechanism of DHP and glucuronic acid, which is helpful for understanding the bonding process between adhesives and components of wood-based panels in the hot-pressing process, and provides key theoretical support for the design of more sustainable lignin adhesives.

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

Extraction of Tannin from Jamblang Leaves (Syzigium cumini) with Ethanol Solvent to Reduce Phenols in Phenol-Formaldehyde in Wood Adhesives

Phenol formaldehyde is one of the adhesives often used in wood processing, such as panels, particle boards, fiberboards, plywood, and others. However, the implementation of phenol formaldehyde adhesive has been greatly limited because of its non-renewability and toxicity. Modifying phenol formaldehyde adhesives is needed to reduce formaldehyde emission by adding tannin to the adhesive mixture. This study aims to extract tannin compounds from Java plum leaves with ethanol as a solvent for adhesive mixture. The adhesive implementation on plywood was also prepared, with various tannin content in the range of 10%-50%. The obtained data from tannin extraction from Java plum leaves are tannin yield, functional groups, total phenolic content, viscosity, and compressive test on plywood. The highest tannin yield and content are 46.70% and 27.88 mg/L, respectively, obtained at the weight ratio 1:5. At the same time, products of tannin-phenol formaldehyde have a viscosity as SNI 1987 standards for wood adhesives, namely in the range of 0.68-0.71 poise, while the result of the compressive strength is in the range of 0.02-0.05 N/mm2 and has met the requirement of SNI 1998 standards. Therefore, the tannin from Java plum leaves is a promising substitution of phenol in phenol formaldehyde in some aspects of the wood processing industry.

Reduction of formaldehyde emission from urea-formaldehyde resin by maleated nanolignin

In the present work, urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin was modified by maleic anhydride-modified nanolignin. For this purpose, nanolignin was prepared by an acidic method and then different ratios of virgin lignin, nanolignin and maleated nanolignin (10, 20 and 30 wt%) were added to the UF resin during its synthesis. The synthesized resins were then used in plywood panels manufacturing. The physicochemical and thermal properties of the prepared resins were determined. Formaldehyde emission, water absorption and shear strength of the plywood panels bonded with the modified resins were also measured according to the relevant standards methods. FTIR analysis indicated that the peak corresponding to O–H was decreased by the treatment of nanolignin with maleic anhydride. The intensity of the 2800 cm−1, 1200 cm−1 and 1700 cm−1 bands related to respectively C–O, CC and COOH bonds also increased in maleic anhydride-treated nanolignin. Based on the physicochemical results obtained, the modification of nanolignin by maleic anhydride accelerates the gelation time and increases the viscosity of the lignin-urea-formaldehyde (LUF) resin compared to when virgin nanolignin was used. DSC analysis shows that the addition of maleated nanolignin significantly decreases the curing temperature of the LUF resin. Based on panel analysis results, lower formaldehyde emission and higher mechanical strength and dimensional stability were obtained by treating nanolignin with maleic anhydride.

Modified plywood binder preparation process: The effect of urea formaldehyde mole ratio

The paper highlights the importance of reducing formaldehyde emissions in plywood products due to increasing public health awareness. Lowering the formaldehyde to urea mole ratio (F/U) during UF resin preparation is a crucial step in achieving this goal. The study focuses on synthesizing UF resin through alkaline-acid process modification involving a strong acid step at the initial stage with a target viscosity range of 120 140 cP. Different F/U ratios were investigated at various condensation steps, with final molar ratios ranging from 1.5 to 1.0. Results indicate that adjusting the F/U ratio during the fourth condensation step (F/U4) is essential to meet desired viscosity requirements. Lower F/U4 ratios lead to decreased reactivity and reduced free formaldehyde content. Resin aging resulted in increased viscosity and gel time, but all resins remained suitable for application for up to three weeks after preparation. Application tests revealed that UF resin with lower F/U4 ratios produced plywood with reduced internal bonding (IB) strength and formaldehyde emissions. F/U4 = 1.1 was found to be the lowest acceptable molar ratio, with formaldehyde emissions of approximately 2 mg/L. These findings stress the importance of optimizing the UF resin synthesis process to achieve lower formaldehyde emission plywood products.

Determination of Urban Formaldehyde Emission Ratios in the Shanghai Megacity.

We analyzed two data sets of atmospheric formaldehyde (FA) at an urban site in the Shanghai megacity during the summer of 2017 and the winter of 2017/18, with the primary objective of determining the emission ratio of formaldehyde versus carbon monoxide (CO). Through the photochemical age method and the minimum R squared (MRS) method, we derived the summer urban formaldehyde release ratios of 3.37 ppbv (ppmv of CO)-1 and 4.04 ppbv (ppmv of CO)-1, respectively. The error of both estimations is within ±20%, indicating the consistency of the results. We recognized the hourly minimum emission ratios determined from the MRS method to be indicative of actual formaldehyde emission ratios. Similarly, the emission ratio in winter is determined to be 2.10 ppbv (ppmv of CO)-1 utilizing the MRS method. The findings provide significant insights into the potential impact of motor vehicle exhaust on formaldehyde emissions in urban areas. This work demonstrates that the formaldehyde emission ratio determined by the MRS method can be used to represent the emissions of the freshest air mass. Formaldehyde photolysis contributed an average of 9% to the free radical primary reaction rate (P(ROx)) as a single chemical species during the daytime in summer, which was lower than the 11% recorded in winter. Formaldehyde emission reduction positively impacts local ozone production, so models describing ozone formation in Shanghai during summer need to reflect these emissions accurately. Evidence of the crucial catalytic role of formaldehyde in particulate matter formation has been confirmed by recent research. A potentially effective way to decrease the incidence of haze days in autumn and winter in the future is therefore to focus on reducing formaldehyde emissions.

Modified pine needles as a formaldehyde scavenger for urea-formaldehyde resin in plywood production

The aim of the present work was to investigate whether it is possible to use ground pine needles as formaldehyde-scavenging filler for urea-formaldehyde resin in the production of plywood. The scope of the research included determinations of both optimal amount of introduced filler and the effect of its modification (silanization, hydrothermal and alkaline treatments). Properties of adhesives such as viscosity, gel time and pH were investigated and their morphology was assessed using scanning electron microscopy. The manufactured plywood panels were tested in terms of their wet shear strength, tendency to delamination in varying conditions and formaldehyde emission. It was found that the addition of pine needles lowers the pH and reduces gel time of the adhesive. Moreover, it was shown that despite the significant reduction in formaldehyde emission, the addition of non-modified needles causes a decrease in bonding quality of plywood. Based on the results, 10 parts by weight of needles per 100 parts by weight of resin can be considered as an optimal loading. The use of ground needles modified hydrothermally and with silane allows to minimize the negative effect on the strength of glue lines and leads to further reduction of formaldehyde emission. Therefore, it can be concluded that pine needle powder has strong potential for the application as a formaldehyde-scavenging filler for urea-formaldehyde adhesive in plywood production.

Evaluation of abatement options to reduce formaldehyde emissions in vehicle assembly paint shops using the Life Cycle methodology

Recuperative thermal oxidizers, consisting of a single combustion chamber where volatile organic compounds are oxidized, and regenerative thermal oxidizers comprising several ceramic beds where the oxidation takes place, are the most common abatement technologies applied in vehicle paint shops to reduce formaldehyde emissions. In this work, a “cradle-to-grave” Life Cycle Assessment and an eco-efficiency analysis were carried out for a real paint shop to compare these two abatement technologies and identify the most environmentally sustainable option. The results show that the regenerative oxidizer leads to a decrease of the human toxicity impact category from 1329 kg 1,4-DB eq. in the initial situation without abatement to 1284 kg 1,4-DB eq., while an alternative with recuperative oxidizers achieves a significantly higher reduction to 1176 kg 1,4-DB eq. Considering the most relevant selected impact categories, the results demonstrate that the recuperative oxidizers cause a reduction from the initial situation of 2.6% of the normalized index, whereas the regenerative oxidizer implies a raise of 3.1%. This indicates that the installation of recuperative oxidizers is the most environmentally sustainable alternative from the two investigated technologies. Nevertheless, the eco-efficiency analysis confirms that the costs of the recuperative oxidizers option are 2.2 times higher.

Usage of the New Modifier-curing Agent in Plywood Technology: The Influence to Urea-formaldehyde Resin Curing and Formaldehyde Emission

One of the urgent scientific and technical objectives in the technologies of plywood and wood boards is the search for ways to reduce of hot pressing time without increasing the formaldehyde emission from finished products. To solve this problem was developed the new modifier-curing agent MC-4SF, is mainly a product of interaction of citric acid with urea and ammonia. Compared to traditional ammonium salts, the modifier-curing agent combines the properties of both direct and latent catalysts. Determination of the composition of residual methylol groups in the aqueous extracts obtained by treating the resin cured at 100 °C showed that the modifier-curing agent provides relatively high hydrolytic stability of the UF-polymer during extraction. Spectra of solid-state 13C NMR showed that in resins cured with MC-4SF increased the compound of methylene bridges compared to resins cured with standard catalysts. It is possible that the amino groups of urea (or its derivatives) included in the modifier-curing agent, react with the methylol groups of UF oligomers, fitting urea into the structure of the resulting polymer. Thus explains the increased hydrolytic stability and reduced toxicity of the cured resin. Manufacturing tests of nine-layer plywood made with a modifier-curing agent showed that replacing ammonium sulfate with MC-4SF allows a significant reduction in pressing time at 110 °C without loss of quality of the finished product. With the same pressing time, it was possible to increase the line shear strength by 14% and to reduce formaldehyde emission by 45%.

Effect of magnesium nanoparticles on formaldehyde emissions from wood composite materials

For the production of wood composite materials, adhesives based on cheap and affordable, but harmful urea-formaldehyde resins are mainly used. Given the substantial production volumes of such materials, it is important to find environmental solutions to reduce formaldehyde emissions during their pressing and subsequent operation. The purpose of the study was to present the results of a study on the use of magnesium oxide nanoparticles to bind unreacted formaldehyde in wood composite materials. Analysis of methods for manufacturing metal nanoparticles allowed determining a priority method that allows obtaining ultrafine structures with a size not exceeding 100 nm, namely, the method of volumetric electric spark dispersion of metals in a liquid. Investigating the morphology of magnesium nanoparticles allowed determining that they have an almost crystalline form formed from the vapour phase, with an average particle length not exceeding 100 nm. The results of spectral analysis of the element composition in the nanophase, specifically magnesium and oxygen, demonstrated that the magnesium content does not exceed 32.2%, while oxygen constitutes 67.78%. This indicates that divalent magnesium oxide does not have a pronounced metallic phase, which would interfere with the sorption processes of formaldehyde. The conducted examinations of formaldehyde emission of samples of particle boards with modified magnesium oxide nanoparticles in concentrations of 2% and 8% glue based on urea-formaldehyde resin showed mixed results. Compared to the control samples, the formaldehyde level remained almost unchanged on the second day of follow-up, and for a concentration of 2%, it even increased by 6%. However, by the sixteenth and ninetieth day, a reduction in the level of free formaldehyde emissions was observed at 19% and 22% respectively. The results obtained can be used to improve the production of non-harmful particle boards with improved properties

Effects of nanoclay modification with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on the performance of urea–formaldehyde resin adhesives

Urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins, as the most common adhesives for wood-based composites, emit formaldehyde, which is forcing producers to find a solution to this problem. Using scavengers is a practical way of reducing formaldehyde emissions, but sometimes these materials change the properties of the adhesive. This study investigated the effect of adding nanoclay and nanoclay modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), as scavengers, on the formaldehyde emission and the properties of the urea-formaldehyde resin. Modification of nanoclay with APTES was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. After the addition of nanoclay and modified nanoclay to the urea-formaldehyde resin, the emission of formaldehyde decreased by 22% and 61%, and the physical and mechanical properties were improved. The FTIR, XRD, and differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the addition of nanoclay and modified nanoclay improved the characteristics of the adhesive, reduced the crystalline areas, and delayed the curing of the adhesive. Additionally, according to thermogravimetric analysis results, addition of nanoclay and modified nanoclay increased the thermal stability and reduced the weight loss of urea formaldehyde resin.

Reduction of formaldehyde emission from medium density fiberboard using nanoclay modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and l-Lysine as additives to urea-formaldehyde adhesive

As a way of reducing the formaldehyde emission and improving the properties of medium density fiberboard (MDF), this study investigated the effects of nanoclay and modified nanoclay with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and l-Lysine (Lys) on the MDF. The XRD, FTIR, and CHN anaLyses showed that nanoclay was successfully modified with APTES and Lys. 1.5, 2, and 2.5% of nanoclay and modified nanoclay were added into UF resin (based on the dry weight), and the mixtures were used to produce MDF. Changes in formaldehyde emissions were determined by the desiccator method. In addition, the modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bonding (IB), thickness swelling (TS), and water absorption (WA) of the boards were measured. The results showed that adding nanoclay (5–25%) and modified nanoclay with APTES (42–61%) and Lys (38–50%) reduced formaldehyde emission. Meanwhile, the mechanical and physical properties of the boards also improved by adding nanoclay and modified nanoclay.

Substitution of petrochemical compounds for polyphenols of natural origin reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils to formulate adhesives for wood bonding.

Vegetable tannins are excellent options to produce adhesives for the panel industry since they have the capacity to reduce formaldehyde emissions and are derived from renewable sources. They also allow for the possibility of increasing the resistance of the glue line through the use of natural reinforcements such as cellulose nanofibrils. Condensed tannins, polyphenols isolated from tree bark, are widely studied for the production of natural adhesives as an alternative to commercial synthetic adhesives. So, the purpose of our research is to show a natural adhesive alternative for wood bonding. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate the quality of tannin adhesives of different species reinforced with different nanofibrils and thus predict which adhesive is the most promising at different concentrations of reinforcement and with different types of polyphenols. To meet this objective, polyphenols were extracted from the bark, nanofibrils were obtained, and both processes followed the current standards. Then, the adhesives were produced, their properties were characterized, and they were chemically analyzed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A mechanical shear analysis of the glue line was also performed. According to the results, the addition of cellulose nanofibrils affected the physical properties of the adhesives, mostly the content of solids and the gel time. In the FTIR spectra, the OH band of the 5% Pinus and 5% Eucalyptus (EUC) TEMPO in the barbatimao adhesive and the 5% EUC of the cumate red adhesive were reduced, possibly due to their higher moisture resistance. Mechanical tests of the glue line showed that barbatimao with 5% Pinus and cumate red with 5% EUC performed best in the dry and wet shear tests. The control was the best-performing sample in the test of the commercial adhesives. The cellulose nanofibrils used as reinforcement did not change the thermal resistance of the adhesives. Therefore, the addition of cellulose nanofibrils to these tannins is an interesting means of increasing the mechanical strength, as occurred in commercial adhesive with 5% EUC. Thus, the physical and mechanical properties of tannin adhesives were better with reinforcement, making it possible to expand the use of these adhesives in the panel industry. At the industrial level, it is important to replace synthetic products with natural ones. Besides environmental and health issues, there is the question of the value of petroleum-based products, which have been widely studied so that they can be replaced.

Demethylation of lignin with mild conditions and preparation of green adhesives to reduce formaldehyde emissions and health risks

Demethylated lignin (DL) was prepared in a NaOH/urea solution at room temperature, and the DL solution was directly substituted for phenol to prepare demethylated lignin phenol formaldehyde (DLPF). The 1H NMR results showed that the benzene ring's -OCH3 content dropped from 0.32 mmol/g to 0.18 mmol/g, whereas the functional group content of the phenolic hydroxyl group increased by 176.67 %, increasing the reactivity of DL. The bonding strength of 1.24 MPa and formaldehyde emission of 0.059 mg/m3 met the Chinese national standard with a 60 % replacement of DL with phenol. The volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions of DLPF and PF were simulated, with 25 types of VOCs were found in PF plywood and 14 types found in DLPF plywood. Terpene and aldehyde emissions from DLPF plywood rose, but total VOC emissions were 28.48 % less than those from PF. For carcinogenic risks (CR), both PF and DLPF showed ethylbenzene and naphthalene as carcinogenic VOCs, whereas DLPF had a lower total CR of 6.50 × 10−5. Both plywood had a noncarcinogenic risks of <1, which was within the permissible range to harm humans. In this study, the mild modification conditions of DL benefit its large-scale production, and DLPF effectively reduces the VOCs released from plywood in indoor environments, diminishing the health risks to humans.

Temperature-sensitive microcapsules modification treatment to reduce formaldehyde emission from wood-based panels

ABSTRACT The formaldehyde emission performance of wood-based panels treated with temperature-sensitive microcapsules was evaluated in this study. Formaldehyde scavenger-filled microcapsules were synthesized by the emulsion-solvent method using ethylcellulose and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) as shell materials containing urea. The results demonstrated that the temperature-sensitive microcapsules exhibited perfect core–shell structures at a core/shell/PNIPAM ratio of 2:2:1. The loading capacity and loading efficiency of the functional core material of the microcapsules reached 33% and 59%, respectively. Compared with untreated panels, panels based on the temperature-sensitive microcapsule scavenger had better performance in controlling free formaldehyde emissions, the formaldehyde emission of treated panels decreased by 42% and 41% at room temperature and 40°C, respectively. The results indicated that the reason why the wood-based panels had a long-term low-level emission was that the microcapsules showed different release behaviour at different temperature, so they have different release paths and release principles.

Effects of Activated Carbon on Medium Density Fiber Board Properties

The negative effects of formaldehyde emission in MDF production on human health are known, and therefore many scientists are working to reduce formaldehyde emissions. In this study, the effects of MDF plates on formaldehyde emission were investigated by adding different amounts of activated carbon into urea formaldehyde resin during the synthesis phase.&#x0D; &#x0D; First, the gelation time behavior of the resin was studied by observing the pH, gelation time, solid content, flow time and viscosity of the modified resin in comparison to the standard reference resin which has no activated carbon inside. The dosing of the activated charcoal in the dry resin was kept at 1wt%, 3wt% and 5wt%. After that modified resin was used in the production of 40x40 cm2 MDF samples by using laboratory scale press line with full automation system. İnternal bonding strength, surface soundness, screw holding resistance, water absorption and thickness swelling were also measured in addition to the main interested parameter formaldehyde emission level which is determined via spectrometric technique following an extraction procedure.&#x0D; &#x0D; Threshold values for activated carbon were determined to be 1wt%. Formaldehyde emission level was observed where addition of 1wt% activated carbon into the urea formaldehyde adhesive decreased the formaldehyde emission 52% comparison to reference whereas addition of activated carbon at above its threshold level provided 47% decreasing.

Photocatalytic degradation of surface-coated tourmaline-titanium dioxide for self-cleaning of formaldehyde emitted from furniture

Formaldehyde emission is an intrinsic property derived from aldehyde-based resin that is used in wood-based composites. To reduce formaldehyde emission from plywood, the composite catalyst of tourmaline-titanium dioxide (T-TiO2) was fabricated by the sol-gel method. Furthermore, the impregnated paper loaded with the T-TiO2 composite catalyst was used to decorate the surface of 5-layer poplar plywood. The physicochemical structure, photocatalytic activity of T-TiO2 composite catalyst and its mechanism of degrading gaseous formaldehyde and generating air negative ions were assessed. The results discovered that the synergistic influence of the tourmaline and TiO2 anatase nanocrystals achieved good photodegradation of the gaseous formaldehyde. The neat T(20%)-TiO2 catalyst offered a higher formaldehyde removal efficiency (92.2%) than other catalysts, possessing 800 ions/cm3 of air negative ions concentration after 10-h visible light irradiation. The poplar plywood with a load of 3% T(20%)-TiO2 catalyst can stably induce the degradation formaldehyde into air negative ions with a concentration of 1200 ions/cm3 in visible light. The impregnation process of paper was feasible to be industrialized and the decorated wood-based composites can be widely applied in the furniture industry.

Formalin safety in anatomic pathology workflow and integrated air monitoring systems for the formaldehyde occupational exposure assessment.

The potential carcinogenicity of formaldehyde (FA) has prompted increasing preventive measures in anatomic pathology (AP) laboratories and new strategies aimed at innovating airborne FA monitoring systems. This review provides an updated overview of the most recent improvements in preventive measures, safe practices, and exposure monitoring tools in the FA usage and handling. A computer-based search of scientific and non-scientific sources was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Google and Google Patents databases, querying the main topics of real-time, in-continuous FA monitoring instruments for sale, and commercially available tools for improving preventive measures in formalin management. In order to simplify the sampling process and to choose a better analytic solution to FA assessment, the main characteristics of each FA monitoring instrument were described. The novel technical tools recently introduced on the global market, aimed at reducing FA emissions in AP laboratories, were summarized. This review is directed at anatomic pathologists to draw their attention to the rapidly growing field of safe formalin practices. A repeated exposure assessment is recommended to evaluate technical changes in air monitoring programs to keep FA emissions low, in compliance with the limit value; thus, evolved monitoring devices are needed. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(3):319-38.