Omega HHAQ-108 User manual

HHAQ-108
Formaldehyde Meter
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User’s Guide

The information contained in this document is believed to be correct, but OMEGA accepts no
liability for any errors it contains, and reserves the right to alter specifications without notice.
Servicing North America:
U.S.A.: Omega Engineering, Inc., One Omega Drive, P.O. Box 4047
Stamford, CT 06907-0047 USA
Toll-Free: 1-800-826-6342 (USA & Canada only)
Customer Service: 1-800-622-2378 (USA & Canada only)
Engineering Service: 1-800-872-9436 (USA & Canada only)
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
For Other Locations Visit omega.com/worldwide
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FORMALDEHYDE METER
USER’S MANUAL
HHAQ-108
Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly before using this product

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Operating and Maintenance Tips ............................. 15-18
Specifications .......................................................... 14-15
Operating Instructions ............................................. 10-14
Install Batteries ................................................ 9-10
Setup Instructions ..................................................... 9-10
Product Overview ........................................................ 8-9
What’s in thePackage ...................................................... 8
Key Features .................................................................... 7
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing OMEGA’s HHAQ-108 Formaldehyde
Meter. Please read this user’s manual carefully and thoroughly
before using the product.
The HHAQ-108 is an easy-to-use handheld instrument for
measuring levels of gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO) as part of
a workplace indoor air quality (IAQ) maintenance program or
to spot-check a residential environment.
Exposure to formaldehyde has a significant impact on human
health. In 2011, the U.S. National Toxicology Program
described formaldehyde as “known to be a human
carcinogen.” It can also be toxic and allergenic.
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Formaldehyde—which is colorless and has a characteristic
pungent, irritating odor—is ubiquitous. It is produced by the
oxidation or combustion of methane and other carbon
compounds and is therefore present in forest fires,
automobile exhaust, and tobacco smoke. When produced in
the atmosphere by the action of sunlight and oxygen on
atmospheric methane and other hydrocarbons, formaldehyde
becomes part of smog.
The primary exposure concern is for the workers in the
industries producing or using formaldehyde. Including indirect
employment, over 4 million people work in the formaldehyde
industry across approximately 11,900 plants in the U.S. and
Canada alone. For example, the textile industry uses
formaldehyde-based resins as finishers to make fabrics
crease-resistant. Formaldehyde-based materials are key to
the manufacture of automobile transmissions, electrical
systems, engine blocks, door panels, axles and brake shoes.
Occupational exposure to formaldehyde by inhalation is
mainly from three types of sources: thermal or chemical
decomposition of formaldehyde-based resins, formaldehyde
emission from aqueous solutions (for example, embalming
fluids), and combustion of a variety of organic compounds.
Because formaldehyde resins are used in many construction
materials it is one of the more common indoor air pollutants.
At concentrations above 0.1 ppm in air, formaldehyde can
irritate the eyes and mucous membranes, resulting in watery
eyes. Formaldehyde inhaled at this concentration may cause
headaches, a burning sensation in the throat and difficulty
breathing, and can trigger or aggravate asthma symptoms.
When treated with phenol, urea, or melamine, formaldehyde
produces polymer resins that are commonly used as
permanent adhesives in plywood and carpeting, in nail
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hardeners and nail polish, and as the wet-strength material
added to sanitary paper products such as facial tissue, table
napkins and roll towels. Production of formaldehyde resins
accounts for more than half of formaldehyde consumption.
Other formaldehyde derivatives include methylene diphenyl
diisocyanate, an important ingredient of polyurethane paints
and foams. Formaldehyde has been found as a contaminant
in several bath products, at levels from 54 to 610 ppm; it is
thought to arise from the breakdown of preservatives in the
products. Since 2006, formaldehyde (methylene glycol) is also
used in hair smoothing treatments in order to straighten
wavy/curly hair and make hair less prone to frizz in humid
weather. OSHA Oregon has reported these treatments as
unsafe for human health.
An aqueous solution of formaldehyde can be useful as a
disinfectant as it kills most bacteria and fungi, including their
spores. Formaldehyde solutions are applied topically in
medicine to dry the skin, such as in the treatment of warts.
Urinary tract infections are often treated with a derivative of
formaldehyde (methenamine), a method often chosen
because it prevents overuse of antibiotics and the resultant
development of bacterial resistance to them. Some topical
creams, cosmetics and personal hygiene products contain
derivatives of formaldehyde as the active ingredients that
prevent the growth of potentially harmful bacteria.
A 1988 Canadian study of houses with urea-formaldehyde
foam insulation found that formaldehyde levels as low as
0.046 ppm were positively correlated with eye and nasal
irritation. A recent review of studies has shown a strong
association between exposure to formaldehyde and the
development of childhood asthma. Chronic exposure at higher
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levels, starting at around 1.9 ppm, has been shown to result in
significant damage to pulmonary function, resulting in reduced
maximum mid-expiratory flow and forced vital capacity. There
is also research that supports the theory that formaldehyde
exposure contributes to reproductive problems in women.
RESIDENTIAL EXPOSURE
In the residential environment, formaldehyde exposure comes
from a number of different routes; formaldehyde can off-gas
from wood products, such as plywood or particle board, but it
is produced by paints, varnishes, floor finishes, and cigarette
smoke as well.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows no
more than 0.016 ppm formaldehyde in the air in new
buildings constructed for that agency. An EPA study found
that a new home measured 0.076 ppm when brand new and
0.045 ppm after 30 days. The agency recommends the use of
“exterior-grade” pressed-wood products with phenol instead
of urea resin to limit formaldehyde exposure, since pressed-
wood products containing formaldehyde resins are often a
significant source of formaldehyde in homes.
People who suffer allergic reactions to formaldehyde tend to
display lesions on the skin in the areas that have had direct
contact with the substance, such as the neck or thighs (often
due to formaldehyde released from permanent-press
clothing) or dermatitis on the face (typically from cosmetics).
Formaldehyde has been banned in cosmetics in both Sweden
and Japan.
The eyes are most sensitive to formaldehyde exposure: The
lowest level at which many people can begin to smell
formaldehyde is about 0.05 ppm and the highest level is
1 ppm. The maximum concentration value at the workplace is
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0.3 ppm. In controlled chamber studies, individuals begin to
sense eye irritation at about 0.5 ppm; 5 to 20% report eye
irritation at 0.5 to 1 ppm; and greater certainty for sensory
irritation occurred at 1 ppm and above. While some agencies
have used a level as low as 0.1 ppm as a threshold for
irritation, the expert panel found that a level of 0.3 ppm would
protect against nearly all irritation. In fact, the expert panel
found that a level of 1.0 ppm would avoid eye irritation—the
most sensitive endpoint—in 75 to 95% of all people exposed.
Formaldehyde emits from a variety of construction materials,
furnishings, and consumer products. The three products that
emit the highest concentrations are medium-density
fiberboard, hardwood plywood, and particle board.
Environmental factors such as temperature and relative
humidity can elevate levels because formaldehyde has a high
vapor pressure. Formaldehyde levels from building materials
are the highest when a building first opens because materials
have had less time to off-gas. Formaldehyde levels decrease
over time as the sources suppress.
A Guide to Formaldehyde Exposure Levels
0.03 ppm Average outdoor level
0.10 ppm Recommend upper short-term exposure
limit (STEL) limit for residences by ASHRAE,
ANSI, EPA, and NIOSH
0.40 ppm Recommended upper STEL for
manufactured homes
0.50 ppm OSHA’s workplace limit
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7
0.75 ppm OSHA’s 15-minute time-weighted average
(TWA) limit
0.80 ppm Level at which most people first detect odor
2.00 ppm OSHA’s STEL limit
KEY FEATURES
•Electrochemical sensor measures real-time formaldehyde
gas concentration from 0 to 5 ppm with ±5% accuracy and
0.01 ppm resolution
•Also tracks, calculates and displays three cumulative
formaldehyde gas metrics: 8-hour TWA (time-weighted
average), 1-hour average, and 15-minute STEL (short-term
exposure limit)
•One-button calibration to 0 ppm in fresh air
•User-adjustable high concentration audible alarm threshold
•Also measures relative humidity (RH) and temperature in
°F or °C
•Manually offsetable long-term drift of temperature and RH
accuracy
•Min/Max memory and data hold
•Large backlit dual-readout LCD
•15-minute Auto Power Off (can be disabled)
•Low battery indication
•Tripod mount
•Powered by (4) “AAA” batteries
•CE and RoHS approved
•2 year limited warranty

8
Fig. 1. The controls,
indicators and physical
structures of the
HHAQ-108
1
2
6
5
4
3
WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE
The HHAQ-108, a 110VAC adaptor and this user’s manual
come in a soft pouch inside a white box.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Fig. 1 shows all controls, indicators
and physical structures of the
HHAQ-108. Fig. 2 shows all possible
indications on the LCD. Familiarize
yourself with the locations and
functions of the control buttons
and the meanings of the display
icons before moving on to the
Setup Instructions and Operating
Instructions.
1. Formaldehyde gas sensor inside
vented ball housing
2. Dual-readout LCD
3. Control buttons
HOLD. Freezes both readouts.
Also used to increment
individual digits of high
concentration alarm.
MODE. Pressed and held, calibrates meter to 0 ppm in
fresh air. Pressed briefly in high alarm adjustment mode,
shifts one digit to left.
PWR. Pressed briefly with meter off, powers meter on.
Pressed briefly with meter on, arms/disarms high
concentration alarm. Pressed and held with meter on,
powers meter off.