Formate in serum and urine after controlled methanol exposure at the threshold limit value

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.94102178· OSTI ID:6755313

d'Alessandro, A ^[1]; Osterloh, J D; Chuwers, P; Quinlan, P J; Kelly, T J; Becker, C E ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Perugia (Italy)
2. Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

Methanol will be present as a new air pollutant when methanol-powered vehicles are introduced in the United States. Little is known about the effect of low-dose methanol exposure. It is controversial whether or not formate, the main metabolite responsible for methanol's acute toxicity, is a sensitive biological marker of toxicity or exposure. We studied the effect of a 4-hr exposure at rest to 200 ppm of methanol vapors on endogenous serum formate and on urinary formic acid excretion. A randomized, double-blind study of human exposure to a constant concentration of methanol was performed in a whole-body exposure chamber. Twenty-six healthy volunteers, each serving as his or her own control, participated in sham and methanol exposures. Urine (at 0, 4, 8 hr) and serum specimens (15 time points over 8 hr) collected before, during, and after the exposure were measured for formate. We found no significant differences in serum formate concentration between exposure and control conditions either at any time point or for area under the curve. Mean concentrations at the end of the exposure were: exposed 14.28 [+-] 8.90 mg/l and control 12.68 [+-] 6.43 mg/l. A slight, but nonsignificant (p = 0.08), increase in urine formate excretion rate was found at 4 hr (exposed 2.17 [+-] 1.69 mg/4 hr and control 1.67 [+-] 1.02 mg/4 hr). Age, sex, folic acid level, and smoking were not significant covariates. At 200 ppm, methanol exposure does not contribute substantially to endogenous formate quantities. Serum and urine formate determinations are not sensitive biological markers of methanol exposure at the threshold limit value. 24 refs., 4 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6755313
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States) Vol. 102:2; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPAZ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200 -- Biochemistry
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALCOHOL FUELS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CLEARANCE
EXCRETION
FORMATES
FUELS
METHANOL FUELS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TOXICITY