The cabinet is laminate over particle board, and the area where the hole is located is visible from pretty much the whole living area.Looking for some creative ideas on how to fix this hole. 

I was doing some research into Higgs and it looks like it's an attempt to prove a theory on the mass of particles.

Lead can be poisoning through inhalation through dust in the air particles as well, not just through ingestion.  

When not possible we order plywood box RTA cabinets on the net as they usually cost the same as the particle board cabinets at the big box stores.

But most of their stuff is particle board with the twist connectors.

Trying to cover the smell with a room aerosol will only work for a very short time and then you will have a new tenant living with a horrible smell.

They are particle-board type and not heavy-duty, but have lasted through 4 or 5 previous tenants without incident.  

I just stayed in an awesome STR in VA, it literally had part of the floor in particle board (but done in a way as to be sorta artistic), never gave the floors a second thought because everything else was so well done, all amenities, etc. 

I agree with Scott- that looks like cheap particle/chip board flooring with a thin veneer over it....not true hardwood. 

This is water soluble and once wet if not dried quickly will dissolve the holding agents in the glue and return the particle board back to sawdust which is what it was before the glue dried when manufactured.