Review : The Toxicologic Importance of Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde in the Hospital Environment

Abstract

Glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde are found in the hospital environment at higher concentrations than those to which the general population is exposed. Their possible adverse health effects are therefore very important to people working in certain parts of hospitals and to patients in the hospitals. Both compounds are irritant and can cause sensitisation. There are virtually no published data on animal toxicological studies on glutaraldehyde but for form aldehyde there are a number of animal studies which indicate that exposure to high concentrations of the vapour causes cytotoxic changes in the nasal muco sa which can lead to carcinoma. There is, however, no convincing reason to consider formaldehyde a human carcinogen since prolonged exposure to con centrations causing cytolethality does not occur. It would seem sensible to con trol the concentrations of both these aldehydes well below the level at which significant irritation and cytotoxicity occur by extraction of the vapours at the workplace and the provision of adequate ventilation elsewhere, thus allowing the continued use of these two valuable chemicals.