What are the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure? Whatever they are don't accept it . e mail for solutions daliya@nontoxic.com When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience health effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations of the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde, while others have no reaction to the same level of exposure. Can formaldehyde cause cancer? Although the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure are well known, less is known about its potential long-term health effects. In 1980, laboratory studies showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. This finding raised the question of whether formaldehyde exposure could also cause cancer in humans. In 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure (1). Since that time, some studies of industrial workers have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with nasal cancer and unsparing cancer, and possibly with leukemia. In 1995, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. However, in a reevaluation of existing data in June 2004, the IARC reclassified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen (2). . What have scientists learned about the relationship between formaldehyde and cancer? Since 1980, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has conducted studies to determine whether there is an association between occupational exposure to formaldehyde and an increase in the risk of cancer. The results of this research have provided the EPA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with information to evaluate the potential health effects of workplace exposure to formaldehyde. Long-term effects of formaldehyde have been evaluated in epidemiological studies (studies that attempt to uncover the patterns and causes of disease in groups of people). One type of study, called a cohort study, looks at populations that have different exposures to a particular factor, such as formaldehyde. A cohort is a group of people who are followed over time to see whether a disease develops. Another kind of study, a case-control study, begins with people diagnosed as having a disease (cases) and compares them to people without the disease (controls). Several NCI studies have found that anatomists and embalmers, professions with potential exposure to formaldehyde, are at an increased risk for leukemia and brain cancer compared with the general population. In 2003, a number of cohort studies were completed among workers exposed to formaldehyde. One study, conducted by the NCI, analyzed 25,619 workers in formaldehyde industries and estimated each worker’s exposure to formaldehyde while at work (3). The analysis found an increased risk of death due to leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, among the workers exposed to formaldehyde. This risk was associated with increasing peak and average levels of exposure and the duration of exposure, but not cumulative exposure. Another study of 14,014 textile workers performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also found an association between the duration of exposure to formaldehyde and leukemia deaths. However, an additional cohort study of 11,039 British industry workers found no association between cumulative formaldehyde exposure and leukemia deaths. Formaldehyde undergoes rapid chemical changes immediately after absorption. Therefore, some scientists think effects of formaldehyde at sites other than the upper respiratory tract are unlikely. However, some laboratory studies suggest that formaldehyde may affect the lymphatic and blood systems. Based on both the epidemiological data from cohort studies and the experimental data from laboratory research, NCI investigators have concluded that exposure to formaldehyde may cause leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, in humans. However, inconsistent results from other studies suggest that further research is needed before definite conclusions are drawn. Several case-control studies and cohort studies, including analysis of the large NCI cohort, have reported an association between formaldehyde exposure and unsparing cancer, although others have not. Data from extended follow-up of the NCI study found that the excess of unsparing cancer observed in the earlier report persisted (4). Earlier analysis of the NCI cohort found increased lung cancer deaths among industrial workers compared with the general U.S. population. However, the rate of lung cancer deaths did not increase with higher levels of formaldehyde exposure. This observation led the researchers to conclude that factors other than formaldehyde exposure might have caused the increased deaths. New data on lung cancer from the extended follow-up did not find any relationship between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer mortality. . What has been done to protect workers from formaldehyde? In 1987, OSHA passed a law that reduced the amount of formaldehyde to which workers can be exposed over an 8-hour work day from 3 ppm to 1 ppm. In May 1992, the law was amended, and the formaldehyde exposure limit was further reduced to 0.75 ppm.
# # # The most common health effects of exposure to these compounds consist of eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea and in severe cases, liver, kidney and CNS damage. The health effects are categorized as type 1, 2 or 3. Type 1 illness includes eye irritation, nasal irritation, headache, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. emergency solutions for solving fumes in cabinets and wardrobes
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