re:formaldehyde
michael gudzinowicz (ab366@osfn.rhilinet.gov)
Thu, 10 Aug 1995 16:37:22 -0400
Joe Portale <JPORTALE@pimacc.pima.edu> wrote:
>I've been watching this string about formaldehyde for the past
>couple of days It seems to be agrees that this stuff is
>dangerous. I have a MSDS, (material safety data sheet) for
>formaldehyde and am willing to either mail out photocopies to
>anyone interested or post it here on the list. Let me know if
>you want a copy.
Someone has already posted the MSDS for formaldehyde.
About 15 years ago (circa 1980), epidemiological studies were
published which showed that formaldehyde caused nasopharyngeal
cancer in human beings, which agrees with animal and in vitro
test results. At the time, it was suggested that individuals
working with it in labs confine use to fume hoods, and if
possible, switch to less volatile crosslinking agents.
Although it is likely that the probability of producing the
one, two or a few mutations, which are required to "make" a
tumor cell, increases with increased exposure, that does not
imply that there is a threshold or "safe" level. If someone
has very low exposure but is unfortunate to experience the
"right" hits, they have a very serious problem (regardless of
detoxification, repair and surveillance mechanisms). For this
reason exposure levels are set extremely low, and use may be
restricted.