Open HSI menu
Subscribe Login

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Using Formaldehyde Gas Detectors In Medical Labs

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Open HSI menu
Subscribe

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Using Formaldehyde Gas Detectors In Medical Labs

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

CATEGORIES

  • Article
  • Press Release
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • White Papers
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

Press Release

Using Formaldehyde Gas Detectors In Medical Labs

By International Gas Detectors

| Read Bio

Published: April 19th, 2021

Share this article

Formaldehyde (CH2O) is a fairly simple chemical compound that is naturally produced in low volumes through regular cellular metabolism. It is best known for its profound anti-bacterial characteristics hence its long-standing application as one of the main preservatives used in mortuaries. However, formaldehyde solutions—where the gas is mixed with an aqueous mobile phase—are extremely valuable to a wide range of medical research areas. They are routinely used to deactivate viruses for vaccine manufacturing, for instance.

Using formaldehyde gas detectors in medical labs image - hsi -

Permanent formaldehyde gas detectors are common fixtures in medical labs where CH2O detection is crucial for mitigating potentially hazardous occupational exposure levels.

Various fluorometric, spectrophotometric, and other techniques have been developed for the detection of formaldehyde gas in air. However, these fairly large and expensive systems rarely justify the cost of installation primarily given their lack of real-time results. Dedicated formaldehyde gas detectors should provide rapid detection of the gas to guarantee occupational health and safety. Additionally, sensing units should enable straightforward operation so that monitoring the air composition in safe areas is a simply process.

The Risk of Formaldehyde Exposure

The relative abundance of water-based formaldehyde solutions in medical labs represents some cause for concern from an occupational health point of view. Although extremely useful as a preservative, formaldehyde is a ruthless toxin that can lead to fatality following exposure regardless of how it is ingested. It is a systemic poison that may be absorbed or inhaled. Solutions can cause severe burns to both skin and eyes while vapours will severely irritate the respiratory tract, possibly leading to suffocation.

Healthcare professionals and medical lab technicians are in a similar high risk of exposure group to that of morticians, given the regularity with which they handle biological specimens that have been preserved using formaldehyde-based solutions.

Formaldehyde gas detector
Pictured: TOC-750 Addressable Safe Area Gas Detector.

Creating Safe Areas with Formaldehyde Gas Detectors

Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) which means solutions tend to off-gas at room temperature. Aqueous formalin is a solution comprised of roughly 40% formaldehyde in a water-based matrix. Although some disinfectants based on 5% formaldehyde are used in hospital settings, it is this higher concentration formalin that is most commonly deployed in medical labs.

Controlling exposure is a matter of ethical and regulatory necessity. Safe areas must be well-ventilated and dedicated formaldehyde gas detectors should be installed to ensure air concentrations never exceed safe limits. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines workplace exposure limits to formaldehyde as two parts per million (ppm) over short periods. Complying with these limits subsequently requires a real-time sensing platform.Click Here to Find Out About Our Formaldehyde Gas Detectors

Standard analogue point-to-point systems remain the go-to sensor paradigm for medical safe areas, given their simple functionality and familiarity. At International Gas Detectors, we offer the TOC-30 Analogue Gas Detector, a long-term monitoring solution for measuring background atmospheres for formaldehyde within a range of 0—5 ppm.  Increasingly, however, we are seeing a greater uptake of addressable safe area detectors with reduced wiring requirements through their daisy chain sequence compatibility. Systems like our TOC-750 Addressable Safe Area Gas Detector are based on unique labyrinth sensor designs for absolute accuracy in CH2O gas detection across a range of 0—5 ppm.

Interested in our Formaldehyde Gas Detectors?

Interested in formaldehyde gas detectors? Contact a member of the International Gas Detectors team today with any questions.

Share this article

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

International Gas Detectors

International Gas Detectors (IGD) develops, manufacture and market a complete range of gas detection products to protect people and plant against gas hazards in industry, research and commercial applications.

IGD have been specialists in gas detection technology for over 90 years, since the company’s establishment in 1917. Our Gas Monitoring products, which can be found worldwide, are manufactured in the UK to ensure that the highest quality is achieved.

Visit Website

POPULAR POSTS BY International Gas Detectors

Industries where you need a benzene gas detector

Press Release

Industries Where You Need A Benzene Gas Detector

Using a fixed voc monitor in cleanrooms

Press Release

Using A Fixed VOC Monitor In Cleanrooms

What is a sewer gas detector?

Press Release

What Is A Sewer Gas Detector?

Combining fixed and portable gas detectors for complete solutions

Press Release

Combining Fixed And Portable Gas Detectors For Complete Solutions

Are you using a voc gas sensor to monitor effluent?

Press Release

Are You Using A VOC Gas Sensor To Monitor Effluent?

How do we monitor vocs and why do we use voc detectors?

Press Release

How Do We Monitor VOCs And Why Do We Use VOC Detectors?

Get email updates

Sign up for the HSI newsletter

Keep up-to-date through the power of email with Europe's largest audited safety magazine - delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Article

 Thameslink Traffic Management Programme

Press Release

‘Working At Height’ Remains Biggest Danger

Press Release

“Uncertainty and Ignorance” Risks More Asbestos Deaths

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/HSIMagazine/

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Twitter

hsimagazine HSI Magazine @hsimagazine ·
25 Jan

Global gas sensing leader @ionscience has today formally announced the addition of a high-specification Particulate Matter (PM) sensor to its portfolio.

Read all about this exciting addition!
https://www.hsimagazine.com/press-release/worlds-best-performing-particulate-matter-pm-sensor-now-available-from-ion-science-ltd/

#hsimagazine #ionscience #particulatematter

Reply on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Retweet on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Like on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Twitter 1618280038557970432

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE

Stay up to date with our newsletter

    • Keep up-to-date with Europe’s largest audited safety magazine

 

    • Delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs

 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Subscribe

SUBSCRIBE TO HSI MAGAZINE

5 reasons to subscribe to our digital and print package

  • Stay up to date from anywhere in the world, with instant access to the latest issue straight from your phone, tablet or laptop.
  • Trust that you’re getting the best content from our range of internationally accredited authors.
  • Get full access to our archives and see how occupational safety has evolved with us over the years.
  • Enjoy our monthly newsletter curated with up-to-the-minute news and a selection of editor’s top picks.
  • Hot off the press and straight to your door – look forward to your own glossy copy of HSI, delivered five times a year
Subscribe View Subscription levels

STAY SAFE & INFORMED

Subscribe to the best health & safety articles, news, products and regulations

Find out more

Stay up to date with our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ABOUT

  • About HSI International
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

YOUR ACCOUNT

Sign In Register Account Subscribe to HSI

RESOURCES

Request Media Pack

CONNECT

ACCREDITATIONS

Copyright Bay Publishing 2023. All Rights reserved.

Designed & Built by:
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT