Formic acid has many uses. A major use for formic acid is an antibacterial and a preservative for livestock feed, which helps farmers preserve their livestock for longer as well as keep away pesticides. Formic acid eliminates some decay processes which will cause the feed to have a better nutritive amount for longer, and so that obviously helps the preservation for farmers.
Formic acid can be added to feed to kill such bacteria such as E. Coli. Formic acid can also be used as a substitute for mineral acids in cleaning products, such as toilet bowl cleaner. Formic acid can be used as a source of a hydrogen ion. The Leuckart-Wallach reaction as well as the
Eschweiler-Clarke reactions are both examples of this.
There are a few safety hazards surrounding formic acid and the way it can get into the environment. Formic acid gets into the environment during its production and use in industry. It is possible for it to get into water and soil, where it then biodegrades, and vapours in the air will be degraded by sunlight. As a result of all of that there are very low levels of formic acid in our environment. The more common place to be exposed to formic acid is in occupational settings, which there are safety precautions to keep workers safe. The general public is rarely exposed to
Formic acid. The