How was formic acid discovered? Is it harmful?

Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its discovery in the distillation products of ants is usually attributed to English scientist John Gray in 1671, although there is evidence that a Samuel Fisher made the discovery the year before. Formic acid has a wide range of uses: in leather tanning, as a decalcifier and cleaning product, as a chemical reducing agent, as a preservative in animal feeds, and for manufacturing its salts and esters. Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Inhaling Formic Acid can irritate the nose and throat, It also can irritate the lungs causing coughingand/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures may cause abuild-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medicalemergency, with severe shortness of breath. Exposure to Formic Acid can cause headache, dizziness,nausea and vomiting.

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