Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
Quantification of Humic and Fulvic Acids in Humate Ores, DOC, Humified Materials and Humic Substance-Containing Commercial Products
Published on: March 18, 2022
Determination of formaldehyde in formaldehyde-releaser patch test preparations
Detlef Emeis1, Anton C de Groot, Jürgen Brinkmann
1F&E Services, Structure Analytics, Beiersdorf AG, Unnastrasse 48, 20245 Hamburg, Germany.
Background:
Positive patch test reactions to formaldehyde-releasers in patients co-reacting to formaldehyde are often ascribed to formaldehyde allergy. However, the formaldehyde content of patch test materials has not been investigated.
Objectives:
To demonstrate and quantify free formaldehyde in commercial patch test materials and in prepared aqueous solutions of formaldehyde releasers.
Materials:
Free formaldehyde was measured by (13)C NMR Spectroscopy in (i) all formaldehyde-releasers in water available from Chemotechnique and Brial, (ii) 5 releasers in petrolatum, (iii) 12 prepared aqueous solutions of formaldehyde-releasers and (iv) water that had been in contact with petrolatum test samples.
Results:
In none of the five petrolatum test substances was free formaldehyde found. In all nine commercial aqueous patch test substances and 9 of the 12 prepared solutions, free formaldehyde was demonstrated with concentrations ranging from 0.019% to 0.37% (detection limit 0.01%). Contact of the petrolatum test samples with water resulted in the release of formaldehyde.
Conclusions:
Most aqueous solutions of formaldehyde-releasers contain free formaldehyde. Petrolatum-based patch test materials with formaldehyde-releasers do not contain free formaldehyde, but probably start releasing it upon contact with water. Therefore, in future studies, determination of free and releasable formaldehyde may be preferable.
