ABSTRACT
Formaldehyde is an aliphatic hydrocarbon that is usually derived from petroleum, but it can be generated naturally at low levels in humans. It is widely distributed in products and industry, with uses in commerce and the home. Formaldehyde may also arise from the degradation of volatile organic chemicals commonly found in indoor air. Formaldehyde is a common air contaminant in urban areas and usually accounts for about 50% of the total aldehydes in polluted air. According to the Toxics Release Inventory, in 1996, 21 million pounds of formaldehyde were released to the environment from 674 domestic manufacturing and processing facilities. Although source factors are the most important aspect of formaldehyde pollution, levels of emission are further influenced by several environmental variables, including fluctuations in indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, and ventilation. Some chemically sensitive patients exhibit slow clearing rates, while others develop total anosmia to formaldehyde due to damage of the olfactory nerve.
