Formaldehyde toxicity. Part II. Review of acute and chronic effects on health.

Inhaled formaldehyde has acute effects on the respiratory tract, central nervous system, skin and eyes and also chronic effects on the respiratory tract, particularly on pulmonary function. Formaldehyde has also been associated with adverse reproductive and mutagenic effects, and there is evidence of carcinogenic effects from two important animal studies. Some data, largely indirect, suggest a carcinogenic risk for man. The reactions of some international scientific bodies to the accumulated data are noted, and steps taken by a number of countries to control formaldehyde exposure in the workplace and other environments are discussed.