Authors: Albertini, Richard J., and Debra A. Kaden.
Research focused on the critical review and integration of the available peer-reviewed literature addressing the potential genotoxicity of formaldehyde. This publication also addresses the potential involvement of chromosome changes in blood cells suggested to be key events in proposed modes of action for the development of leukemia following formaldehyde exposure. The evaluation found reported genetic changes in circulating blood cells do not provide convincing support for formaldehyde classification as a human leukemogen. Specifically, the evaluation notes that no convincing evidence that exogenous exposures to formaldehyde alone, and by inhalation, induce mutations at sites distant from the portal of entry tissue as a direct DNA reactive mutagenic effect – specifically not in the bone marrow. In addition, recent studies reporting changes in human bone marrow or hematopoietic precursor cells either have had confounding exposures or could not distinguish in vivo from in vitro occurrences