Formaldehyde release from furnishing fabrics. Effect of ageing, temperature and air humidity.

The contamination of indoor air by formaldehyde (CH2O) is a serious hygienic problem. One of the potential sources of formaldehyde release may be furnishing fabrics. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ageing on textiles (17.5 months), air temperature (25-45 degrees C) and relative air humidity (RH) (45-85%) on the CH2O release rate from 6 kinds of drapers and furniture coverings. The emission was determined in small glass chambers (13.08 dm3) under controlled conditions: at one air exchange per hour and load factor 1 m2/m3. Results of these studies indicated that effect of textile ageing on CH2O emission was different for each fabric tested. The increase of temperature and RH within the ranges studied multiplied the rate of CH2O release. The drapers and covering fabrics tested, in the production of which textile dressing containing CH2O compounds was used, may remain a source of formaldehyde emission for several months.