Colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour, belonging to the group of aldehydes. Formaldehyde is used as preservative, e.g. in immunosera and cosmetics, and for disinfection. In animal experiments, high concentrations in the air are carcinogenic. And formaldehyde is known to be allergenic. Due to its very good disinfection characteristics (no Protein error, universal activity spectrum) formaldehyde, in appropriate concentrations, is still used for surface and instrument disinfectants, e.g. in infectiological risk situations.
