"RISK ASSESSMENT OF FORMALDEHYDE FOR GENERAL POPULATION IN JAPAN" 

Masato Naya, Junko Nakanishi

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Toxicology Letters,  (2005)

---

Abstract

Formaldehyde is used in the production of resins, molding compounds, photographic film, bactericide and tissue preservative. The purpose of this study is to provide an up to date critical review of the information to the toxicological profile of formaldehyde, and assess the risk of formaldehyde for the general population in Japan.
Inhaled formaldehyde is an effectcive sensory irritant at a dosage of 0.5 ppm in mice. Following inhalation in laboratory animals, more than 6 ppm of formaldehyde causes degenerative non-neoplastic effects in mice and monkeys, and nasal tumors in rats. It is considered that formaldehyde induce genotoxic effects directly in vitro, and secondary in vivo. The sensory irritation of eyes and respiratory tract of inhalation exposure to formaldehyde were reported at 0.08 ppm and above in human study. Formaldehyde is carcinogenic at site of contact, as a consequence of epithelial cell regenerative proliferation resulting from cytotoxicity and mutation, based on studies in both animals and humans. 
Levels of formaldehyde in air detected in rural, suburban and urban areas in Japan were 2.5 to 3.2 ppb from 1998 to 2003. The majority of the population is exposed to airborne concentration of formaldehyde less than those associated with sensory irritation. The reference concentration of formaldehyde in air for Japanese general population is recommended to be 0.01 ppm.

Keywords

Formaldehyde, Risk Assessment, Laboratory Animal Study, Epidemiology