We have a researcher who would like to occasionally vent small quantities (micrograms/cubic meter; maybe less) of formaldehyde from a vessel being developed to measure greenhouse gases.  Because the vessel sits on a laser table, and there is no fume hood in the laboratory, we are hesitant to tell him to vent it into the room (especially since the building is old and there is very little turnover of the air in the room).  I’d like to find a filter for the exhaust before it goes outside, but have had trouble finding an effective filter.  I know that activated charcoal is not very effective for such a small molecule.

What do you use to filter formaldehyde from exhaust?

Sonja Ringen

Office of Safety, Health and Environment

NIST/Boulder

325 Broadway, MC 173.02

Boulder, CO  80305

Phone: 303.497.7389

Mobile: 303.961.9251