Quantitative cancer risk estimation for formaldehyde

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Risk Analysis; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1990.tb01023.x· OSTI ID:6771685

Starr, T B ^[1]

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1. ENVIRON Corporation, Arlington, VA (USA)

Of primary concern are irreversible effects, such as cancer induction, that formaldehyde exposure could have on human health. Dose-response data from human exposure situations would provide the most solid foundation for risk assessment, avoiding problematic extrapolations from the health effects seen in nonhuman species. However, epidemiologic studies of human formaldehyde exposure have provided little definitive information regarding dose-response. Reliance must consequently be placed on laboratory animal evidence. An impressive array of data points to significantly nonlinear relationships between rodent tumor incidence and administered dose, and between target tissue dose and administered dose (the latter for both rodents and Rhesus monkeys) following exposure to formaldehyde by inhalation. Disproportionately less formaldehyde binds covalently to the DNA of nasal respiratory epithelium at low than at high airborne concentrations. Use of this internal measure of delivered dose in analyses of rodent bioassay nasal tumor response yields multistage model estimates of low-dose risk, both point and upper bound, that are lower than equivalent estimates based upon airborne formaldehyde concentration. In addition, risk estimates obtained for Rhesus monkeys appear at least 10-fold lower than corresponding estimates for identically exposed Fischer-344 rats. 70 references.

• OSTI ID: 6771685
• Journal Information: Risk Analysis; (USA), Vol. 10:1; ISSN 0272-4332
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FORMALDEHYDE
CARCINOGENESIS
NOSE
NEOPLASMS
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
DNA
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
INHALATION
MAN
MONKEYS
RATS
REVIEWS
RISK ASSESSMENT
ALDEHYDES
ANIMALS
BODY
BODY AREAS
DISEASES
DOCUMENT TYPES
FACE
HEAD
INTAKE
MAMMALS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology