Ecological Systems and Devices Annotation << Back ABOUT THE METHOD OF DETERMINING THE CONCENTRATION OF FORMALDEHYDE IN ATMOSPHERIC AIR M.V. Volkodaeva, Ya.A. Volodina Formaldehyde is one of the most toxic pollutants in the ambient air, which exerts detrimental effects on human health. In the present work, commonly used in Russian Federation formaldehyde determination methods are described. Moreover, the new effective formaldehyde measurement technique is represented – cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). Its main distinctive feature is the absence of necessity for sampling and making appropriate preparations. For the purposes of ambient formaldehyde monitoring by means of CRDS, special equipment is used. It is notable for its parts-per-billion sensitivity and the real-time measurements, portability and the ease of operation. The pilot operation of the new measuring instrument was conducted in Saint-Petersburg and results are shown in this work. It is concluded that CRDS method could be used continuously and on a regular basis for the purposes of air quality monitoring. Keywords: formaldehyde; air quality monitoring; ambient air; pollutant; method; equipment. Contacts: E-mail: m_vladi_v@mail.ru Pp. 03-09.