ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the small and simple molecule Formaldehyde (HCHO) emitted by many synthetic resins that are used as adhesives for wood and wood products. Formaldehyde is inflammable and builds explosive mixtures with air at certain concentrations. Due to its low cost, ease of production, and ability to react diversely, formaldehyde is one of today's most important industrial compounds. In wood and wood products, the formaldehyde-liberating compounds can be adhesives, lacquers, finishes, and/or coatings. However, significant emission potentials are mostly due to the presence of aminoplastic resins, such as urea-formaldehyde resins. For the production of wood products of low formaldehyde emission, the use of adhesives of particular characteristics is inevitable. The moisture content of wood products has a great influence on formaldehyde content but has negligible or no influence on the steady state formaldehyde concentration in a long-term emission test where are maintained the panels under defined climatic conditions.
