Vol. 2, 453-460, September/October 1993 Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 453

Cytogenetic Effects of Formaldehyde Exposure in Students ofMortuary Science1

Anthony Suruda,2 Paul Schulte, Mark Boeniger,Richard B. Hayes, Gordon K. Livingston, Kyle Steenland,Patricia Stewart, Robert Herrick, Donald Douthit, andMarilyn A. FingerhutDivision of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation, and Field Studies, NationalInstitute for Occupational Safety and Health IA. S., R S., M. B., K. S.,R. H., M. A. Fl; Occupational Studies Section, EnvironmentalEpidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute IR. B. H., P. 5.1;Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of CincinnatiSchool of Medicine 1G. K. LI; and Cincinnati College of MortuaryScience ID. D.I

AbstractThe effect of low-level exposure to formaldehyde onoral, nasal, and lymphocyte biological markers wasstudied prospectively in a group of 29 morticianstudents who were about to take a course in embalming.During the 85-day study period, the subjects performedan average of 6.9 embalmings and had averagecumulative formaldehyde exposures of 14.8 ppm-h, withan average air concentration of 1 .4 ppm duringembalming. Since the average time spent embalming was1 25 mm, formaldehyde exposures calculated as an 8-htime-weighted average were 0.33 ppm on days whenembalmings were done, which was less than theOccupational Safety and Health Administrationpermissible exposure limit of 0.75 ppm. Epithelial cellsfrom the buccal area of the mouth showed a 1 2-foldincrease in micronucleus frequency during the studyperiod, from 0.046 0.1 7/1 000 cells preexposureto 0.60 1.27/1000 cells at the end of the course (P