Formaldehyde content of latex paint

Latex paint is a common household paint nowadays, but it contains many harmful substances, such as formaldehyde. It will definitely cause great harm to your body after use. Severe patients may also suffer from convulsions or even memory loss. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the overall formaldehyde content after use to prevent it.

The main harmful substances in latex paint are soluble heavy metal content (free formaldehyde content) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Free formaldehyde refers to a small amount of formaldehyde that does not participate in the reaction during the production of latex paint and becomes free formaldehyde. Volatile organic compounds refer to compounds with a boiling point of 50℃-250℃ as defined by the World Health Organization, a saturated vapor pressure exceeding 133.32kPa at room temperature, and a class of organic matter that exists in the air in the form of vapor at room temperature. If the paint contains too much, it will cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and weakness in the limbs within a short period of time; in severe cases, it will cause convulsions, coma, and memory loss.

In the newly promulgated "Code for Indoor Environmental Pollution Control of Civil Buildings", the content of volatile organic compounds in indoor air has become an important item in evaluating whether the indoor air quality of a room is qualified. The content specified in this standard is 0.5 mg/cubic meter for Class I civil construction projects and 0.6 mg/cubic meter for Class II civil construction projects.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, irritating gas with a strong odor. It can bind to proteins. After inhaling high concentrations of formaldehyde, severe respiratory irritation and edema, eye stinging, headaches, and bronchial asthma may occur.

Therefore, when choosing latex paint, you must pay special attention to its VOC content and formaldehyde content.

Free formaldehyde: Free formaldehyde in interior wall paint mainly comes from additives such as synthetic resin emulsions and mildew inhibitors. It can ensure the chemical stability of the paint during the production and transportation process and extend the storage time of the paint. However, the formaldehyde in free formaldehyde will be released into the environment as the paint dries and forms a film. If this indicator exceeds the standard, it will easily cause indoor air pollution. When the concentration is high, it can cause nausea, vomiting, coughing, chest tightness, asthma, emphysema, and even death. The free formaldehyde content of qualified paint is ≤0.1g/kg.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC): The content of total volatile organic compounds in interior wall paint should only focus on the impact of paint on human health and pollution to the indoor environment during the production, construction and use of the paint. The national implementation standard for this item is ≤200g/L.