NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) to DOL (Department of Labor) on OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Proposed Rule for Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde by R. Lemen, May 5, 1986

摘要

In view of animal studies indicating that formaldehyde (50000) was a carcinogen, the testimony provided evidence to support the position that exposure to formaldehyde be kept to the lowest feasible concentration possible. Significant excesses of squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavity were found in both male and female Fischer-344-rats, in male hybrid-mice, and in male Sprague-Dawley-rats. Results of individual studies suggested a connection between formaldehyde exposure and the incidence of lung cancer, brain cancer, leukemia, and nasopharyngeal cancer. Evidence suggested that formaldehyde forms cross linking bonds between DNA and protein at concentrations of 6ppm and greater. Examination of workplace exposure data suggested that in most occupations formaldehyde exposures were below 0.5ppm concentration levels with only 10 percent being above 1ppm.