Formaldehyde exposure levels and serum antibodies to formaldehyde-human serum albumin of Korean medical students

In our study, we estimated formaldehyde exposure levels of Korean medical students during their cadaver dissection practice hours. In addition, we examined the prevalence rates of formaldehyde-specific immunoglobulin E or immunoglobulin G antibodies and compared the results with the symptoms the students experienced as a result of formaldehyde exposure. There were 167 Korean medical students (i.e., subjects) aged 23.8 +/- 2.5 y (mean +/- standard deviation) and a control group of 67 premedical students aged 20.1 +/- 2.8 y (mean +/- standard deviation). Concentrations of formaldehyde in the cadaver dissection practice laboratory ranged from 0.194 to 11.245 mg/m(3) (3.736 +/- 3.478 mg/m(3) [mean +/- standard deviation]). Students reported by self-administered questionnaires that eye soreness (92.8%) and lacrimation (74.9%) were the most common symptoms they experienced during the laboratory sessions. One (0.6%) of the 167 medical students had a history of wheezing during dissection. Fourteen (8.4%) had specific immunoglobulin G antibody, but none had specific immunoglobulin E antibody. These results suggest that (a) Korean medical students are exposed to formaldehyde at a relatively high levels in their dissection practice hours, (b) specific immunoglobulin G is not related to adverse eye or respiratory symptoms, and (c) specific immunoglobulin E is rarely induced as a result of exposure to formaldehyde.