Many people like to place cut onions in their newly decorated homes because it is believed that onions can effectively absorb formaldehyde, a common indoor pollutant, and quickly remove it. But is it really safe to do so? Can onions really absorb formaldehyde?
Can onions really absorb formaldehyde?
To test the claim that onions can remove formaldehyde, a closed plastic box was used to measure the formaldehyde concentration, which was found to be 0.13 milligrams per cubic meter. After placing a cut onion in the closed plastic box and waiting for 5 minutes, the formaldehyde concentration remained at 0.13 milligrams per cubic meter.
The principle behind onions not being able to remove formaldehyde
Onions cannot absorb formaldehyde because the molecules of onions are larger than those of formaldehyde. Therefore, onions can only "mask" the formaldehyde but not actually absorb it. Onions can only reduce the odor of formaldehyde, but formaldehyde in the new house will still be present and may react with the onions, potentially causing other harm to the human body.
The harm of formaldehyde to the human body
Formaldehyde is a harmful gas that is easily soluble in water and can be absorbed through the respiratory and digestive systems. Formaldehyde easily evaporates at room temperature, and the higher the indoor temperature, the faster it evaporates. Modern scientific research has shown that formaldehyde poses a great threat to the human body, especially to children, pregnant women, and the elderly, and can lead to various cancers, leukemia, and other diseases.
Choosing materials for decoration can reduce formaldehyde
Since formaldehyde is a chemical and cannot be easily removed by simply using onions, it is important to carefully choose building materials during decoration or use auxiliary formaldehyde removal products. For indoor decoration materials, environmentally friendly treatment should be applied, such as using formaldehyde removal agents to coat the boards. These methods can effectively reduce the formaldehyde odor indoors and mitigate the harm of formaldehyde to the human body.
Using catalytic technology in decoration can reduce formaldehyde
Catalytic technology, also known as cold catalyst technology, primarily relies on catalysis and combines with ultra-microfiltration to decompose various harmful and odorous toxic gases into harmless and odorless substances at normal temperature and pressure. It transforms from simple adsorption to chemical adsorption. While the catalytic technology adsorbs indoor formaldehyde, it also decomposes it, thereby increasing the variety of pollutants absorbed, the efficiency of formaldehyde adsorption, and the saturation capacity. It does not cause secondary indoor pollution. Additionally, the lifespan of the adsorbent material is 20 times longer than that of ordinary materials. It has strong targeted effectiveness and can effectively catalytically decompose harmful gases such as indoor formaldehyde.
