Formaldehyde (FA) is still the most widely used chemical in recreational vehicles, although its use is decreasing. It is typically mixed with methyl alcohol, and is blue-colored and perfumed.The EPA recognizes it as a probable carcinogen with moderate toxicity to humans, and established a lethal dose for a 150-pound person at 1 ounce to 1 pint. The same EPA document indicates that it kills or retards bacterial growth. In fact, concentrated solutions of FA are used as an industrial disinfectant.FA has been reported to be a strong inhibitor of all microorganisms involved in anaerobic degradation, although no information about
