Manabat 1 Claudine Manabat Period 1 Environmental Science CC 7 February 2014 Mrs.

Ogo Formaldehyde The chemical, formaldehyde, has the chemical formula of CH2O or HCHO. It is colorless, has a strong flame and is flammable. Theyre used for adhesive for ply wood, paint, carpeting, disinfectants, and preserved biologic specimen. Also used for making car parts (brake pedals) and insulation in the 1970. When formaldehyde enters the environment it is been broken down in the air, broken down by bacteria for the soil. And it evaporates from shallow soils. Humans can get exposed by formaldehyde is inhaling cigarette smoke, wood product, paint carpets and permanent press fabric, or from industries using or manufacturing formaldehyde. It affects the human health by having irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. It can cause cancer and a child can get asthma or symptoms of asthma. The OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) set a legal limit of 0.75 ppm formaldehyde in air for people who work 8 or more hours a day. And the EPA 1ppm formaldehyde in water is still drinkable. There were several cohort studies and each time they do it there would be new finding that there is no correlation with the other symptoms like lung cancer. Formaldehyde has a great risk of myelogenous leukemia. So, the OSHA in 1987 establishes that 8 hour or more hours workers can be exposed to formaldehyde 3ppm to 1ppm, to protect workers from cancer.

Manabat 2 Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formaldehyde http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/voc/formaldehyde.htm http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=218&tid=39