formaldehyde exposure linked to cognitive issues

the chemical's use has decreased over the last few decades, but thousands of people still work in environments that expose them to formaldehyde.

by chris arnold

published dec 29, 2021

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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formaldehyde exposure linked to cognitive issues

workers who worked with the gas for 22 years or more were found to have a 21 per cent greater risk. getty

employees who regularly work with formaldehyde, a gas used in several industries including manufacturing, could experience cognitive issues later in life, according to a recent study. “we know that exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to certain cancers, and our results suggest that exposure to low amounts of formaldehyde also may be associated with lower level of cognitive functioning,” the study’s author noemie letellier, said in a statement. the study was published just before christmas in the medical journal neurology.the study does not prove that exposure to formaldehyde causes cognitive impairment, instead suggesting there is simply an association between the two, letellier says. “people whose work exposes them to formaldehyde may want to take precautions, and companies may want to look at ways to reduce workers’ exposure to the hazardous chemical.”researchers from the university of montpellier in france looked at a database of more than 75,000 people to find those who work with formaldehyde. of the people studied, 6,026 (eight per cent) regularly encountered the gas. the study’s included included nurses, carpenters, cleaners, medical technicians, and people in the textile, chemistry, or metal industries.to determine just how much exposure to formaldehyde an individual had, people were split into three equal groups, according to the number of years they had been working with the substance. the low-end group consisted of people who have been using formaldehyde for one to six years, medium was between seven and 21 years, and high was 22 years or more. researchers then determined just how much potential risk is involved for those working with the gas. a series of cognitive tests regarding memory, attention, and reasoning skills were given. after adjusting for age, education, sex, and other factors, people who were exposed to formaldehyde at work were an average of 17 per cent more at risk to having thinking and memory problems compared to those who had not been exposed. workers who worked with the gas for 22 years or more were found to have a 21 per cent greater risk.one of the tests had participants match a symbol to a number based on a key on the top of a page. the participant would copy the symbol into spaces below a row of numbers, according to the key. if done perfectly, the participant would get a score of 135. the group of people not exposed to formaldehyde scored an average of 66 points, while the group that had been exposed had an average score of 63. “the use of formaldehyde has decreased over the last few decades; however, our results highlight the fact that there are still thousands of people whose work exposes them to the chemical, and they may face the risk of cognitive impairment later because of it,” letellier said.formaldehyde is regularly used in building materials and insulation, fertilizers and pesticides, and household products such as glue, fabric, paint, and paper, according to the united states environmental protection agency. funeral directors are often exposed to formaldehyde during the embalming process, as it is one of the main chemicals that helps preserve dead bodies. the formaldehyde is often mixed with other, less toxic chemicals, along with water to replace blood. in canada, approximately 117,000 people are regularly exposed to formaldehyde in their workplaces, with 63 per cent of those people being men, according to carex canada. the workplaces with the most exposure are hospitals and full service restaurants.chris arnold is a toronto-based freelance writer.

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