The smell of this highly toxic volatile organic compound (VOC) could virtually transport you right back to your seventh-grade science classroom on dissection day. Formaldehyde was the liquid the poor frog was preserved in. It's also a common ingredient in adhesives and numerous household materials, including plastics, foam insulation, wood products, and carpet backing ("new carpet smell" carries a hint of that science lab odor, if you think about it). Exposure to formaldehyde, via offgassing, is linked to a range of health problems, from respiratory irritation to cancer. Unfortunately, formaldehyde is hard to avoid, but low- and no-formaldehyde products-from paints to rugs to wood-are increasingly available and are often labeled as such. See also phenol formaldehyde, and urea formaldehyde.

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