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CoastalQuant HCHO Research

Developing more trustworthy formaldehyde screening for buildings.

CoastalQuant is developing a measurement system and validation method designed to distinguish formaldehyde from common indoor-air interferences—and show when a result should be trusted.

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Research focus

Selectivity, signal analysis,
and measurement reliability

Development directions

Trends and investigation
of potential HCHO sources

Beyond a standalone sensor readingConcept architecture

Target molecule

HCHO

Formaldehyde
in indoor air

Concept flow: indoor air passes through selectivity, sensing, analysis, and reliability checks rather than producing a standalone sensor reading.01020304AIR

Keep the target in view.

The program will test whether a candidate prefilter can reduce interfering gases before they reach the sensor while allowing formaldehyde to pass through for measurement.

Can interference be reduced without losing the formaldehyde signal?

Illustrative architecture · no measured results

Evidence & current status

See what is documented now.

The site separates published work, active investigation, and preparation for future evaluation. Dates refer to the latest public record, not to a claim of product readiness.

HCHO study · R02In progress

Diagnostic modeling advances.

The ethanol follow-up and formaldehyde diagnostic calculations have been completed and internally reviewed. A preliminary run for the next method comparison stopped on technical grounds; the comparison remains open.

Updated

Review the study record
Measurement programPreparing

Laboratory evaluation is being prepared.

Three written proposals for reference analysis were received in August 2026. Laboratory engagement and the testing schedule are not yet finalized.

Current focus · Engineering preparation

See validation readiness
Separate quantum programPublished

Peer-reviewed hardware study.

The sensor-data hardware diagnostic is published in Quantum Reports. Its result does not validate the developing HCHO measurement system.

DOI 10.3390/quantum8030093

Open the publication record (opens in a new tab)
All HCHO study records →Research notes & methods →The research in plain English →

About CoastalQuant

Environmental measurement.
A building perspective.

CoastalQuant develops environmental measurement technologies and reproducible evaluation methods for buildings and construction.

Its current focus is CoastalQuant HCHO Research: a formaldehyde measurement system and a reproducible method for evaluating its performance. The work connects instrument development with the practical questions raised by construction, renovation, and building use.

Meet the founder

EVIDENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Intended applications & development

From a measurement
to a better question.

Our first focus is formaldehyde screening. Beyond that, we plan to evaluate how measurements can reveal changes over time and help investigate potential sources.

01Primary intended use

Measure formaldehyde.

Does this space need further investigation?

Formaldehyde screening after construction, renovation, and before occupancy. The intended role is to help determine when confirmatory laboratory testing or further investigation is warranted.

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02Secondary use · Separate validation required

Understand changes.

Is the concentration changing over time?

Future studies will assess trends and comparisons between conditions, accounting for drift, humidity, interfering gases, and gaps in usable data.

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03Secondary use · Separate validation required

Investigate possible sources.

Where and when should we look more closely?

A development direction for comparing locations, activities, and building conditions to support investigations of potential formaldehyde sources.

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Trend analysis and support for source investigation require separate validation. A change in concentration alone does not establish its cause or predict what happens next.

HCHO Research Studies

Questions guiding development.

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R01

Planned

Measurement and recovery cycle

When should a formaldehyde estimate be reported, and how much recovery time is needed before the next measurement?

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R02

In progress

Water and prefilter selectivity

How does water affect the relative binding of formaldehyde and ethanol on functionalized carbon prefilter models?

View study & progress

R03

Planned

Cartridge flow and service life

Under which flow, humidity, and loading conditions can a cartridge retain ethanol while allowing formaldehyde to reach the sensor?

View study & progress

Development & validation

A system to evaluate.
A method others can check.

The program aims to produce both an evaluated measurement system and a reproducible evaluation protocol. Progress is tied to evidence and readiness criteria.

Current focus · Engineering preparation

01 · Target

Prototype & test readiness

Prepare the research prototype and test system for laboratory evaluation.

02 · Target

Laboratory performance evaluation

Evaluate formaldehyde measurement across interfering gases and environmental conditions.

03 · Target

Independent performance review

Evaluate a locked model on data not used in development, with independent reproduction of the analysis.

04 · Target

Real-building field evaluation

Assess the measurement system in buildings through a pilot and conditional expansion.

05 · Target

Public evaluation framework

Share the evaluation method, findings, and supporting research materials.

Target dates follow the adopted validation plan. Timing may evolve with research findings and readiness.

Explore the development roadmap

A separate research program

Quantum computing.
Specific questions.

Explore Quantum Computing Research

Published journal article

Quantum methods for sensor data

Quantum Reports ·

An IBM Quantum experiment examines how a quantum kernel preserves the structure of a fixed set of indoor-air data. The result does not establish forecasting or quantum advantage.

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Planned study · R04

Molecular binding on IBM Quantum

A separate proposed study would examine quantum methods for materials alongside classical calculations.

View R04 study & progress

The planned quantum materials study follows a separate research schedule; dates have not been set. These studies do not establish the performance of the formaldehyde measurement system.

Questions about the project

Scope, methods,
and next steps.

What is CoastalQuant HCHO Research developing?

A candidate system for measuring formaldehyde in indoor air and a reproducible method for evaluating its performance. The program brings together selectivity research, sensor-response analysis, and checks on measurement reliability.

Can the system identify a source of formaldehyde?

Support for source investigation is a planned secondary use requiring separate validation. A concentration change can help form a hypothesis, but identifying a source also requires information about materials, activities, ventilation, and appropriate confirmatory checks.

Does trend analysis mean forecasting?

Trend analysis examines changes in observed measurements. Predicting future concentrations is a different task and is not an established capability of this project.

Is a device or field service available now?

The measurement program is in research and development; no product or service is currently available. We welcome conversations about research, engineering, and future field collaboration.

How does laboratory testing fit in?

Reference laboratory methods are part of the planned evaluation of the system. Screening alone does not diagnose an indoor-air condition, determine health risk, establish safe occupancy, or replace definitive laboratory analysis. The program does not cover building or product certification, regulatory compliance determinations, or employee exposure monitoring.

Current collaboration needs

Choose the part of the program you can help advance.

The most useful conversations now are tied to a defined research need. Select an area to open the contact form with the relevant topic already chosen.

For Reference laboratories

Reference HCHO measurements

Discuss analytical methods, sample handling, comparison design, and the evidence needed for laboratory evaluation.

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For Testing facilities

Controlled gas testing

Explore controlled formaldehyde, interference, humidity, response, recovery, and repeatability studies.

Discuss this collaboration

For Sensor & materials teams

Engineering development

Discuss sensing, candidate prefilter materials, system integration, signal analysis, and prototype reliability.

Discuss this collaboration

For Building partners

Future field evaluation

Plan a future building study after the laboratory and independent-review readiness criteria are met.

Discuss this collaboration
How research collaboration is structured