Occupational exposure to formaldehyde: exposure and genotoxic effects assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25758/set.454Keywords:
Genotoxicity, Micronucleus, Occupational exposure, FormaldehydeAbstract
Since 2004, formaldehyde (FA) has been classified by the International Agency for Cancer Research as a carcinogen. The FA ranks 25th in the overall United States chemical production, with more than 5 million tons produced each year. Due to its economic importance and varied use, many individuals are exposed to FA in their occupational settings. This study aimed to assess the exposure to FA in two occupational settings – FA production factory and pathology anatomy (PA) laboratories – and relate it to possible health effects by comparing the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes and exfoliates cells from the oral mucosa of workers exposed to FA with individuals not exposed to this agent (controls). This study was performed on 80 workers occupationally exposed to FA: 30 workers in the FA factory and 50 workers in 10 PA laboratories. The control group comprised 85 subjects without exposure. We have applied two different methodologies for the environmental monitoring of FA. The results were compared with the reference to the exposure weighted average (TLV-TWA = 0.75 ppm) and ceiling concentration (VLE-MC = 0.3 ppm). All laboratories had results higher than the reference value to CM (1.41 ppm). None of the results obtained for the TWA exposure (0.16 ppm) were higher than the reference value. Macroscopic examination obtained the highest values of CM in 90% of laboratories. MN values were higher in individuals exposed to FA as compared to controls. As for MN in lymphocytes, the average was 3.96 in the exposed compared with 0.81 in the unexposed. The MN in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa had an average of 0.96 in exposed, compared with 0.16 in controls. The results of this biomonitoring can be particularly useful to organizations responsible for defining acceptable levels of human exposure to FA.
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