How It’s Used Formaldehyde (HCHO)—also known as methanal—is a colorless, pungent gas at room temperature that can cause eye irritation. The compound is an important precursor to more complex chemicals, including urea formaldehyde, melamine, and phenol-formaldehyde resins. Other common uses are as a preservative in medical laboratories and mortuaries, in permanent press fabrics, in … Continue reading Formaldehyde—and Formaldehyde Monitoring Instrumentation