Formaldehyde is common in many industries and products. Exposure to unsafe quantities can cause severe symptoms and may even lead to death.
Formaldehyde is a highly flammable and toxic gas. It has a pungent, strong smell even at low concentrations but may be hard to detect for people who are desensitized to it.
Formaldehyde exposure usually occurs through inhalation or eye contact. It can be well absorbed by your lungs or gastrointestinal system.
Read on to learn more about the signs of formaldehyde poisoning and what to do next.
Contact with a toxic substance: What to do
If someone has come into contact with a toxic substance, take action immediately. First, reduce harm in one of the following ways:
- For swallowed poison: If a person is experiencing burning or irritation and they are conscious, not having convulsions, and able to swallow, help them drink a small amount of water or milk.
- For poison in the eye: Remove contact lenses and rinse the eye immediately under a running faucet for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Adults or older children may find it easier to rinse eyes in the shower.
- For poison on clothing: Remove the contaminated clothing immediately and rinse the skin under running water.
- For inhaled poison: Get to fresh air and stay away from the toxic fumes or gases.
Next, contact Poison Control, or ask someone else to do this. There are two methods: - Call Poison Control at 800-222-1222.
- Use the POISONCONTROL tool.
Both options provide free, expert advice on what to do in a given situation and are available 24/7.
Do not try to treat poisoning at home with ipecac syrup, charcoal, or other home remedies. These substances can be ineffective or even harmful.
Exposure to formaldehyde usually occurs through inhalation. Formaldehyde is one of the 25 most produced chemicals in the world, found in the manufacture of plastics and resins. Formaldehyde is also used in making a variety of products, including:
- glass mirrors
- artificial silks
- explosives
- dyes
- plywood adhesives
- pharmaceuticals
- petroleum
- textile industries
In agriculture, formaldehyde has been used as a fumigant and as a germicide for plants and insects. It’s also used as a disinfectant and as an embalming fluid.
Safe limit
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has the following guidelines in place for exposure to formaldehyde:
- OSHA PEL (permissible exposure limit) = 0.75 parts per million (ppm) averaged over an 8-hour work shift
- OSHA STEL (short-term exposure limit) = 2 ppm (15 minute exposure)
- NIOSH IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health) = 20 ppm
- AIHA ERPG-2 (emergency response planning guideline) (the maximum airborne concentration below which it’s believed that nearly all individuals could be exposed for up to 1 hour without experiencing or developing irreversible or other serious health effects or symptoms) = 10 ppm
Symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning are quite varied. If inhaled, formaldehyde poisoning may cause:
- eye irritation
- breathing problems
- skin irritation
- headaches
If ingested, it can cause burns to the stomach and esophagus. In very severe cases, formaldehyde may cause:
- low blood pressure (hypotension)
- irregular heart rhythm
- irregular breathing
- restlessness
- unconsciousness
- coma
Inhaling or ingesting very large quantities of formaldehyde can even lead to death. If you suspect you have formaldehyde poisoning, or if you’re experiencing these symptoms, call the Poison Control Center or have someone call 911 for you.
Conditions with similar symptoms
Symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning and other conditions may overlap. These conditions include:
- Heavy metal poisoning: This is caused by overexposure to certain types of metals. Symptoms of metal poisoning vary according to which type of metal overexposure you might have been exposed to.
- Berylliosis: This is a metal poisoning or allergic disorder caused by exposure to beryllium dust or fumes. It affects the lungs and makes breathing difficult. Blood may also appear in sputum.
- Arsenic poisoning: This can occur during the use and manufacture of pesticides. Overexposure may cause headache, drowsiness, confusion, delirium, seizures, and sometimes death. In cases of chronic arsenic poisoning, weakness, muscle aches, chills, and fever may develop.
There’s no specific treatment for formaldehyde poisoning. The care plan for formaldehyde poisoning includes supportive therapies and depends on the specific symptoms present in the affected individual. These can include the following:
- flushing of skin and eyes with water
- administering activated charcoal
- gastric lavage, also called stomach pumping, which involves flushing the contents of the stomach
- administering oxygen
- administering IV sodium bicarbonate and/or isotonic fluid
- hemodialysis
The treatment for each individual will depend on the severity of their symptoms and whether formaldehyde has been inhaled or ingested.
If treated promptly, most cases of formaldehyde poisoning have a positive outlook and people can usually recover well.
Get medical attention immediately if you suspect you have been exposed to formaldehyde, as prompt treatment and limiting exposure as soon as possible is crucial for recovery.
According to the
- myeloid leukemia
- nasopharyngeal cancer
- cancer of the nasal cavity
- cancer of the paranasal sinuses
Formaldehyde used in hair products and cosmetics is safe but may cause an allergic reaction in some people. This can lead to an itchy rash that may turn into blisters.
Formaldehyde is a highly flammable and toxic gas used in many different industries and products.
If you suspect you’ve been exposed to formaldehyde, contact a doctor for advice and treatment. Symptoms can range from very minor to very severe and may even be life threatening in serious cases.
Contact emergency services or have someone do it for you if you’ve been exposed to formaldehyde and you’re experiencing low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, or irregular breathing.