The exposure to formaldehyde in industries and health care centers: A systematic review and probabilistic health risk assessment

Abstract

Formaldehyde is classified as a definitive human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The workers in several industries such as foundry, melamine, resin, and health care centers (pathology and anatomy laboratories and operating rooms) are exposed to airborne formaldehyde. In this systematic review, studies conducted from 2000 to 2020 on occupational exposure to airborne formaldehyde in Iran were collected and analyzed. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessments of exposure to airborne formaldehyde were estimated using the recommended United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method by Monte-Carlo simulation. Results demonstrated that in both health care centers and industrial settings, mean concentrations of airborne formaldehyde were higher than that 8- hour time-weighted average threshold limit value (TWA-TLV) recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Also, results showed that cancer and non-cancer risks due to exposure to airborne formaldehyde (Neurological, dermal, respiratory effects and so on) were considerable in both industrial settings and health care settings. The results of this study could be used by health policy makers to eliminate or reduce exposure to airborne formaldehyde in workplaces.

Keywords: Cancer risk; Formaldehyde; Non-cancer risk; Workers; Workplaces.