Omega HHAQ-108 User Manual

HHAQ-108

Formaldehyde Meter

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User’s Guide

The information contained in this document is believed to be correct, but OMEGA accepts no
liability for any errors it contains, and reserves the right to alter specifications without notice.

Servicing North America:

U.S.A.: Omega Engineering, Inc., One Omega Drive, P.O. Box 4047

Stamford, CT 06907-0047 USA

Toll-Free: 1-800-826-6342 (USA & Canada only)
Customer Service: 1-800-622-2378 (USA & Canada only)
Engineering Service: 1-800-872-9436 (USA & Canada only)
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
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FORMALDEHYDE METER

USER’S MANUAL

HHAQ-108

Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly before using this product

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Operating and Maintenance Tips ............................. 15-18

Specifications .......................................................... 14-15

Operating Instructions ............................................. 10-14

Install Batteries ................................................ 9-10

Setup Instructions ..................................................... 9-10

Product Overview ........................................................ 8-9

What’s in thePackage ...................................................... 8

Key Features .................................................................... 7

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing OMEGA’s HHAQ-108 Formaldehyde
Meter. Please read this user’s manual carefully and thoroughly
before using the product.

The HHAQ-108 is an easy-to-use handheld instrument for
measuring levels of gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO) as part of
a workplace indoor air quality (IAQ) maintenance program or
to spot-check a residential environment.

Exposure to formaldehyde has a significant impact on human
health. In 2011, the U.S. National Toxicology Program
described formaldehyde as “known to be a human
carcinogen.” It can also be toxic and allergenic.

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Formaldehyde—which is colorless and has a characteristic
pungent, irritating odor—is ubiquitous. It is produced by the
oxidation or combustion of methane and other carbon
compounds and is therefore present in forest fires,
automobile exhaust, and tobacco smoke. When produced in
the atmosphere by the action of sunlight and oxygen on
atmospheric methane and other hydrocarbons, formaldehyde
becomes part of

smog.

T

he primary exposure concern is for the workers in the
industries producing or using formaldehyde. Including indirect
employment, over 4 million people work in the formaldehyde
industry across approximately 11,900 plants in the U.S. and
Canada alone. For example, the textile industry uses
formaldehyde-based resins as finishers to make fabrics
crease-resistant. Formaldehyde-based materials are key t

o

t

he manufacture of automobile transmissions, electrical

systems, engine blocks, door panels, axles and brake shoes.
Occupational exposure to formaldehyde by inhalation is

mainly from three types of sources: thermal or chemical
decomposition of formaldehyde-based resins, formaldehyde
emission from aqueous solutions (for example, embalming
fluids), and combustion of a variety of organic compounds.
Because

formaldehyde resins are used in many

construction
materials it is one of the more common indoor air pollutants.
At concentrations above 0.1 ppm in air, formaldehyde can
irritate the eyes and mucous membranes, resulting in watery
eyes. Formaldehyde inhaled at this concentration may cause
headaches, a burning sensation in the throat and difficulty
breathing, and can trigger or aggravate asthma symptoms.

W

hen treat

ed with phenol, urea, or melamine, formaldehyde
produces polymer resins that are commonly used as
permanent adhesives in plywood and carpeting, in nail

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hardeners and nail polish, and as the wet-strength material
added to sanitary paper products such as facial tissue, table
napkins and roll towels. Production of formaldehyde resins
accounts for more than half of formaldehyde consumption.

Other formaldehyde derivatives include methylene diphenyl
diisocyanate, an important ingredient of polyurethane paints
and foams. Formaldehyde has been found as a conta

minant

i

n several bath products, at levels from 54 to 610 ppm; it is
thought to arise from the breakdown of preservatives in the
products. Since 2006, formaldehyde (methylene glycol) is also
used in hair smoothing treatments in order to straighten
wavy/curly hair and make hair less prone to frizz in humid
weather. OSHA Oregon has reported these treatments as
unsafe for human health.

An aqueous solution of

formaldehyde can be useful as a

d

isinfectant as it kills most bacteria and fungi, including their
spores. Formaldehyde solutions are applied topically in
medicine to dry the skin, such as in the treatment of warts.

Urinary tract infections are often treated with a derivative of
formaldehyde (methenamine), a method often chosen
because it prevents overuse of antibiotics and the resultant
development of b

acterial resistance to them.

Some topical
creams, cosmetics and personal hygiene products contain
derivatives of formaldehyde as the active ingredients that
prevent the growth of potentially harmful bacteria.

A 1988 Canadian study of houses with urea-formaldehyde
foam insulation found that formaldehyde levels as low as

0.046 ppm were positively correlated with eye and nasal
irritation. A recent review of

studies has shown a strong
association between exposure to formaldehyde and the
development of childhood asthma. Chronic exposure at higher

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levels, starting at around 1.9 ppm, has been shown to result in
significant damage to pulmonary function, resulting in reduced
maximum mid-expiratory flow and forced vital capacity. There
is also research that supports the theory that formaldehyde
exposure contributes to reproductive problems in women.

RESIDENTIAL EXPOSURE

In the residential environment, formaldehyde exposure comes
from a number of diffe

rent routes; formaldehyde can off-gas

f

rom wood products, such as plywood or particle board, but it
is produced by paints, varnishes, floor finishes, and cigarette
smoke as well.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows no
more than 0.016 ppm formaldehyde in the air in new
buildings constructed for that agency. An EPA study found
that a new home measured 0.076 ppm when brand new and

0.045 ppm

after 30 days. T

he agency recommends the use of
“exterior-grade” pressed-wood products with phenol instead
of urea resin to limit formaldehyde exposure, since pressed­wood products containing formaldehyde resins are often a
significant source of formaldehyde in homes.

People who suffer allergic reactions to formaldehyde tend to
display lesions on the skin in the areas that have had direct
contact with the substance,

such as the neck or thighs (often
due to formaldehyde released from permanent-press
clothing) or dermatitis on the face (typically from cosmetics).
Formaldehyde has been banned in cosmetics in both Sweden
and Japan.

The eyes are most sensitive to formaldehyde exposure: The
lowest level at which many people can begin to smell
formaldehyde is about 0.05 ppm and the highest level is
1 ppm. The maximum concentrat

ion value at the workplace is

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