Formaldehyde toxicity. Part I. Occupational exposure and a report of 5 cases.

Formaldehyde is ubiquitous in the occupational, domestic and general environment, and in manufactured and consumer goods. The clinical and radiological findings in 5 shop employees exposed to formaldhyde are presented. Two features are of interest: (i) 1 of the workers developed vomiting, a symptom previously unreported in adults exposed to formaldehyde; and (ii) all 5 victims developed turbinate swelling, apparent clinically and radiologically. The swelling was marked, causing obstruction of the nasal passages, and persisted for some time after most of the sources of exposure had been dealt with. This phenomenon is also previously undocumented.