Formaldehyde exposure and acute health effects study

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Environment International; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(89)90023-8· OSTI ID:6710495

Quackenboss, J J; Lebowitz, M D; Michaud, J P; Bronnimann, D ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson (USA)

To assess the effects of formaldehyde exposures on health, exposure groups were defined using baseline exposure and health questionnaires. Formaldehyde concentrations were poorly correlated with these exposure classifications, perhaps due to the time delay between classification and monitoring. The 151 households reported here had a mean HCHO concentration of 35 (S.E. 1.5 and median 30) {mu}g/m{sup 3}. Passive samplers prepared in our lab were calibrated in a chamber to derive an estimated sampling rate of 0.311 {mu}g/(mg {center dot} m{sup {minus}3} {center dot} hr). They were also compared to commercially available samplers inside of the homes, with a correlation coefficient of 0.896 and mean difference of 2.6 {mu}g/m{sup 3}. In this report of initial findings from an ongoing study, daily symptoms and peak expiratory flow measurements were compared with an HCHO exposure classification based on the median measured concentrations. None of the symptoms groups were related to HCHO exposure when controlling for age and sex. There was a significant relationship between HCHO exposure and variability in peak expiratory flows that was dependent on age group. It may be especially important to assess the variability in reactive individuals and children to determine the short-term effects of HCHO exposures and possible long-term consequences.

• OSTI ID: 6710495
• Journal Information: Environment International; (USA), Vol. 15:1-6; ISSN 0160-4120
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FORMALDEHYDE
HEALTH HAZARDS
AGE DEPENDENCE
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
CHILDREN
HOUSES
LUNGS
SENSITIVITY
SYMPTOMS
VARIATIONS
AGE GROUPS
ALDEHYDES
BODY
BUILDINGS
FUNCTIONS
HAZARDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology