Formalin has a long, extensively researched, well documented history as an efficient and effective fumigant. As a chemical it is widely used in industry including the manufacture of many everyday materials. Formalin’s use for decontamination is probably one of its safest uses as it remains contained inside the process area. Formalin solution (formaldehyde) remains a freely available chemical within the European Union (EU) under REACH legislation.
The well researched efficacy of formalin has, coupled with its ease of use, easily implemented safe handling procedures and very low cost kept fumigation using formalin at the forefront of safety cabinet and room decontamination in the laboratory. Low cost of the equipment and availability of the chemical keeps this fumigation process available to all establishments across the world, including emerging markets. It remains one of the safest, most economic and successful methods of fumigation available today.
The level of predictability, together with the ease in which any fumigation can be reliably repeated, using the Foramaflow Formalin Vaporizer systems set the standard by which any alternative process including hydrogen peroxide has to be measured. The introduction of an automatic neutralisation process that is completely effective in removing residual formaldehyde gas levels make the process completely safe and raises the standard still further for any alternative process that claims to out-perform the established Foramaflow procedure.
Independent validation tests for NATO approval has repeatedly demonstrated the effectiveness of the neutralisation of formaldehyde gas after the automatic neutralisation sequence using Foramaflow equipment.
