Formaldehyde Resources

[Guest guest]

Well I can not figure out how to post a file so here is a link to the

resources and more information about formaldehyde

http://www.heirs-online.com/EnvironmentalContaminants.html

>

> ,

>

> I just recently joined this list and have been following your

posts.

> I am a little confused on what your arguments are but I do want to

> say a word or two about my situation and formaldehyde. What I can

> tell you, although I am sensitive to mold, I am MUCH more sensitive

> to formaldehyde and have been since I was a student in high school

> and was exposed to the fumes from the science classroom. We could

> never figure out why I kept falling asleep in Algebra class next

> door. At the time, I did not know that is what I was reacting to

the

> chemical volatiles. My sensitivity got worse in college because of

> the labs I had to take and became ill every time I had class. The

> headaches were excrutiating and my roomate used to make fun of me

> because she could smell the chemical smell I excreted even after I

> took a shower which I did right after walking through the door

after

> class. Now, I can not even get close to the stuff or I have a

> reaction and my CFS/MCS kicks in.

>

> Since I had nothing " better " to do, I did a little research on the

> chemical for you. Some of it may be technical the other is, I

believe

> quite understandable. I also include the sources just in case you

> want to read more about it. Also the last document I sourced with

the

> table is an online book and the studies were done on mobile homes

> that were designed to be lived in. The long document is in the file

> folder but here are some excerpts about formaldehyde:

>

> 1. " It is a mutagen; namely it is capable of attacking the genetic

> materia of cells, and producing permanent genetic damage. "

> 2. " The data suggest a modifier role of environmental or endogenous

> formaldehyde for epithelial cell functions. "

> 3. " Reviewed formaldehyde and changed its evaluation from probably

> carcinogenic (class 2A) to carcinogenic for humans (class 1) based

on

> nasopharyngeal cancer, a very rare cancer. "

> 4. " " Formaldehyde was also designated as a toxic air contaminant

> (TAC) in California in 1992 with no safe level of exposure. "

> 5. " " Nevertheless, chemically reactive formaldehyde and free

radicals

> may damage most of the components of the cells of all animal

species,

> mainly proteins and lipids. " "

> 6. " The Connecticut State Department of Health investigated 80

> complaints from consumers who had installed urea-formaldehyde foam

> insulation in their homes (Sardinas et al., 1979). The insulation

had

> been installed 3 wk–1.5 yr before the survey. With formaldehyde at

> 0.5–10 ppm, 69% of the occupants reported eye irritation, 51% upper

> respiratory tract complaints, 44% gastrointestinal tract symptoms,

> 59% headaches, and 40% skin problems. In homes with formaldehyde at

> less than 0.5 ppm, 31% complained of eye irritation, 49% upper

> respiratory symptoms, 41% headaches, and 60% skin problems. More

than

> 50% of the individuals questioned reported symptoms when

formaldehyde

> was not detectable using Drager Tubes (minimum detection limit, 0.5

> ppm) "

> 7. " Formaldehyde concentrations of 0.03–2.5 ppm were measured in 74

> mobile homes whose occupants complained of odor and irritation

> thought to be associated with the use of particle board (Breysse,

> 1977). Approximately two-thirds of the measurements showed

> concentrations of less than 0.5 ppm and 90% below 1 ppm. Symptoms

> experienced by the occupants included drowsiness, nausea, headache,

> and irritation of eyes, nose, and respiratory tract. Repeat

> measurements on two homes indicated half-lives (time for

> concentrations to decrease by 50%) of 45 and 110 d. A Scandinavian

> study using field tests and mathematical models indicated a half-

life

> of 2 yr (Hollowell et al., 1979b). The ventilation rate was 0.3 air

> changes each hour. The half-lives depend heavily on air

temperature,

> ventilation rate, surface area of the various products, type of

> material, and volume of the residence. "

>

>

> In the last source above....there is numerous other studies that

were

> done that details the health effects of those studied. I just did

not

> want to make this post any longer than it is. Again, I will post

the

> file in the files folder.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Kramer

> Health Education, Information and Resource Services (HEIRS)

> kkramer@...

>