Formaldehyde: Uses and Dangers
Formaldehyde is a flammable gas that smells like rotten eggs. It’s pungent, colorless and explosive. It probably comes as no surprise that formaldehyde can be deadly when inhaled. If you are not exposed often, your first warning of formaldehyde will probably be the smell. It is possible to adjust to the smell through repeated exposure, in which case your first warning sign of exposure might be a burning in your nose, eye irritation or a headache. Even a low acute exposure can cause severe mucous membrane irritation and lower respiratory issues such as bronchitis, pulmonary edema or pneumonia. Formaldehyde is heavier than air and can even cause asphyxiation if there is little to no ventilation. According to the CDC, even very low concentrations like 0.3 ppm can cause bronchial narrowing, a response which might be delayed for 3 or 4 hours and can last, increasing in severity, for more than 20 hours.
Ingesting formaldehyde is just as deadly as it can result in severe corrosive injury to the esophagus and stomach. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. If you are unfortunate enough to have formaldehyde splashed into your face, you may lose your vision permanently. This result can be delayed by as much as 12 hours as the surface cells die and the outer eye is perforated. It will also irritate any skin it touches and may form rashes.
Despite that formaldehyde is used in a variety of adhesives, latex paint, household cleaners, fabric softeners, cosmetics, fireplaces and gas cookers. Resins in hardwood or particleboard, building material and insulation, permanent press fabrics and paper products, preservatives in some dishwashing liquids, pesticides and fertilizers are all products that commonly contain formaldehyde according to the EPA. The CDC has also listed sugar, rubber, food, petroleum, pharmaceuticals and other textiles as sources of formaldehyde exposure.
While the short term effects of formaldehyde exposure have been known for a while as they are relatively inescapable, the long term effects are currently under the magnifying glass as several forms of cancer have been tied to its exposure. Through a number of epidemiologic studies, there is a connection between formaldehyde exposure and lymphatic cancer as well as increased mortality from leukemia. As one might expect, exposure also correlates with nasopharyngeal cancer. Formaldehyde is therefore a known carcinogen and exposure should be limited as much as possible. Very small amounts cause significant issues and it is deadly in every form if exposure is high enough or the duration is long enough.
If you suspect formaldehyde poisoning, please see a doctor immediately and if you have questions about a particular brand or product that you believe caused your incident, please let us know! You may not be alone and we might be able to give you more information.