Formaldehyde

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker, Dean B.
• Description:
  Formaldehyde (HCOH) is a highly reactive chemical that is ubiquitous in the natural environment and widely used in occupational and environmental settings. It is an essential component of many consumer products, although little or none is present in final products. It is also an endogenous chemical found in living cells, where small quantities derive from the metabolism of amino acids, and its metabolites are in equilibrium with the labile methyl group pool. The health effects of formaldehyde have been the subject of a large amount of research. Formaldehyde causes mucous membrane and upper respiratory tract irritation at relatively low exposure. Inhalation at high concentrations can cause reversible bronchoconstriction; however, allergic sensitization does not appear to play a substantial role in formaldehyde-associated pulmonary effects. Residential formaldehyde exposure during childhood may increase the risk of asthma. Formaldehyde is an acute skin irritant and an important cause of occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Formaldehyde is a proven animal carcinogen, but the findings of epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent, so its carcinogenicity in humans has been controversial. The strongest evidence of human cancer risk is for cancer of the nasopharynx, with weaker evidence for leukemia and sinonasal cancer. However, some investigators have expressed doubts about carcinogenicity in humans, especially for leukemia. Based on a 2004 evaluation of published research that included updates of three major occupational cohort studies and meta-analyses of case-control studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that formaldehyde is carcinogenic to humans based on sufficient evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. Formaldehyde is considered a probable human carcinogen by most United States governmental agencies, although these agencies are currently revising their risk assessments in light of recent research and the IARC determination that formaldehyde is a human carcinogen. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Carcinogens Formaldehyde Hazardous Substances Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory System Safety Sense Organs Skin
• Keywords:
  Chemical Hazards Contact Dermatitis Health Effects Mucous Membranes Occupational Exposure Respiratory Irritants Skin Irritants
• ISBN:
  9780781762991
• Publisher:
  Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Book
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20058474
• Citation:
  Environmental and occupational medicine, 4th edition. Rom WN, Markowitz SB, eds. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006 Dec; :1129-1143
• CAS Registry Number:
  Formaldehyde (CAS RN 50-00-0)
• Editor(s):
  Rom WN; Markowitz SB
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2007
• Performing Organization:
  University of California Los Angeles
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental and occupational medicine, 4th edition
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:90179271cf1bc4591c99e6d48af043de0b6614088ab1ebd6535fd1e2714fef98c8632ac8e4d12f94756750cbda855d1f25b78fc451295a3aee771cd0602a2d31
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221563/cdc_221563_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.37 MB ]