Technical Bulletin No. 0539: Field Evaluations of the Performance of Passive Diffusion Badge Monitors and Several Other Methods for Determination of Workplace Formaldehyde

Three commercially available passive diffusion badges, three brands of detector tubes, as well as the bisulfite-impinger method with and without pre-filters were evaluated for accuracy and precision in field sampling. Current generation models of the 3M #3720 monitor and the SKC Liquid Sorbent Badge were found to meet criteria set by NIOSH,or selected as necessary for use in the forest products industry. Both badge methods gave acceptable results at the concentration levels promulgated in the recently published revised Occupational Health Standard for formaldehyde which lowered the regulatory limit to 1.