You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
Formaldehyde (FA) is a colorless, flammable gas with a pungent odor. Exposure to formaldehyde vapor, particularly through inhalation, has raised significant concerns regarding its potential adverse health effects on humans. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of formaldehyde inhalation on the histology of the nasal mucosa, trachea and lungs. For this study twenty (20) male wistar rats of comparable weight between 170g to 190g were procured. The animals were allowed to acclimatize for a period of two (2) weeks with free access to feed and water before the commencement of the experiment and thereafter they were Placed in plastic cages that were partitioned, having both the vaporing chamber and the experimental chamber. Formaldehyde air level was measured using a formaldehyde gas meter. 9 drops of formaldehyde were added to the filter paper to obtain a concentration of 10ppm (part per million) and then placed in the vaporing chamber. The rats were divided into four (4) groups (groups A, B, C & D) with 5 animals in each group, group A served as control, while group B to D served as the test group. Group A animal had nil exposure to formaldehyde gas, Group B, C and D animals were exposed to formaldehyde gas for 2, 4 and 8 hours daily for a period of four weeks. At the end of the experiment the animals were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia and thereafter sample tissue of the nasal mucosa, trachea and lungs were harvested for histological evaluation. The tissue section was examined under light microscope at a high-power magnification and photomicrographs were taken. The results for group B, C, and D showed significant histopathological changes which disrupted the integrity of the nasal mucosa, trachea and lungs when compared to group A. In conclusion, formaldehyde exposure has deleterious effect on tissues of the nasal mucosa, trachea, and lungs especially with prolonged exposure.
