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RobUK
New Contributor

Formic acid, carbon monoxide off gassing in latex mattress?

Hello, thanks for reading this, I have a question I hope you can answer. Formic acid is used as a coagulant to turn rubber tree sap into Latex, Formic acid also decomposes to Carbon Monoxide, does this mean things like Latex mattresses have the potential to off gas carbon monoxide? I am assuming they don't and this is a stupid question, but I have had carbon monoxide poisoning twice, I would like to buy a Latex mattress and I don't need CO issues for a third time. 
 
If this isn't an appropriate forum for this question and you can point me in the direction of one that is that would be great.
 
Thanks Very much.
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2 Replies
DelTCS
New Contributor

Re: Formic acid, carbon monoxide off gassing in latex mattress?

The formic acid is used to treat the raw latex harvested from the trees.  It is exhausted in the process and the polymer is then washed and cleaned.  There will be none of the acid remaining in the latex used to make mattresses in what is called the Talalay process, which is used to precipitate, expand, and crosslink the polymer into the sponge form that makes one of the best and longest lasting kinds of mattresses and pillows.  I worked many years ago at the factory in Connecticut where the largest facility for these products was, and still have pillows made then.

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Re: Formic acid, carbon monoxide off gassing in latex mattress?

Robert,

The coagulation of natural latex requires a mild acid, and a widely-used process for latex foam uses carbon dioxide as the acidifying agent:

Talalay process - Wikipedia 

Obviously, there is no harmful residue from this process. 

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