People working in agriculture, construction, hospitals and other jobs that expose them to formaldehyde may suffer cognitive problems, a new study reveals.
Formaldehyde is a pungent-smelling colorless gas that is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide and disinfectant.
A team of scientists led by the University of Montpellier in France found people exposed to the gas score lower on cognitive tests than those who do not breathing in the potentially toxic fumes.
The study was conducted among 75,322 people in France with an average age of 25 and 6,026 of the participants worked with formaldehyde.
Following several cognitive tests, researchers found people who were exposed to formaldehyde on the job had, on average, a 17 percent higher risk of having thinking and memory problems compared to those who were not exposed.
Their occupations included nurses, caregivers, medical technicians, workers in the textile, chemistry and metal industries, carpenters and cleaners.
Following several cognitive tests, researchers found people who were exposed to formaldehyde on the job had, on average, a 17 percent higher risk of having thinking and memory problems compared to those who were not exposed
Noemie Letellier, Ph.D., of the University of Montpellier in France, said in a statement: 'We know that exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to certain cancers, and our results suggest that exposure to low amounts of formaldehyde also may be associated with lower level of cognitive functioning.
'People whose work exposes them to formaldehyde may want to take precautions, and companies may want to look at
