• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 2007

The building materials used for improving indoor air quality, the wood charcoal mixed with cement mortar or natural water paint were examined for their potential removing ability of formaldehyde. After the reaction of samples with formaldehyde in the glass flasks designed in our lab, the remaining formaldehyde was collected using DNPH (2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine) cartridges, and their concentration was determined using HPLC. From the results, it was found that the removing amount of formaldehyde per one gram sample containing 5, 10, or 15% of wood charcoal was more than three times compared to that of control (100% cement mortar or water paint). Their elimination percentages from the initial formaldehyde was about 80~90%. The experimental results for wood charcoal-water paint showed a similar trend with those of wood charcoal-cement mortar samples. Their elimination percentages from the initial formaldehyde was about 90%. It is proposed that formaldehyde is adsorbed on the adsorbed 'O' or 'OH' groups in the graphene layers formed through the re-arrangement of lignocellulose in the wood during the carbonization procedure.