Formaldehyde Badges

[aspiringdoc09]

I plan to apply to medical shool in June; however, I currently work in the Gross Lab at a medical school. I was hoping a pathologist or anyone who works in a formaldehyde-environment may be able to help.

Our medical school is newly established and I started having respiratory issues from the fumes (asthmatic-like). We purchased some 3M formaldehyde badges but it only does 8-hr monitoring, which the levels were way low; however, I am hypersensitive to it. I do wear a respirator now though. Do any of you know what company sales more long-term monitoring badges? At least a month monitoring or more, if possible?

Thanks for your help.

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[sirenomelia]

I plan to apply to medical shool in June; however, I currently work in the Gross Lab at a medical school. I was hoping a pathologist or anyone who works in a formaldehyde-environment may be able to help.

Our medical school is newly established and I started having respiratory issues from the fumes (asthmatic-like). We purchased some 3M formaldehyde badges but it only does 8-hr monitoring, which the levels were way low; however, I am hypersensitive to it. I do wear a respirator now though. Do any of you know what company sales more long-term monitoring badges? At least a month monitoring or more, if possible?

Thanks for your help.

fomaldehyde isnt generally used anymore; are you symptomatic from buffered formalin?

 

[aspiringdoc09]

fomaldehyde isnt generally used anymore; are you symptomatic from buffered formalin?

It is a formalin solution that contains 5.6% formaldehyde in the stock (which we dilute 9:1), methanol, phenol, and glycerin. It's called the Maryland Anatomical Solution. Apparently, I became hypersensitive to it at concentrations of 0.07 ppm, when I used a 3M Formaldehyde monitoring badge in December. It's rare but apparently I have sensitivities.

 

[KCShaw]

Radiation badges yes, formaldehyde/formalin no. I remember being tested by occupational health for, I think, OSHA standards but I don't know what they used. If you've already asked 3M if they make other versions, then occ health at a local hospital or large lab, or OSHA for that matter, might be another source if (insert your favorite internet search engine) isn't doing the trick. But really, if the respirator is working for you and you already know you're sensitive to very low concentrations.. what are you trying to find out?

 

[aspiringdoc09]

Radiation badges yes, formaldehyde/formalin no. I remember being tested by occupational health for, I think, OSHA standards but I don't know what they used. If you've already asked 3M if they make other versions, then occ health at a local hospital or large lab, or OSHA for that matter, might be another source if (insert your favorite internet search engine) isn't doing the trick. But really, if the respirator is working for you and you already know you're sensitive to very low concentrations.. what are you trying to find out?

Thanks for you replies. KCShaw, I actually called OSHA, EPA, and CPSC and neither endorse any type of formalin badges, so they don't have a vendor list. My boss and I want to monitor the concentrations to ensure other lab visitors (med students, faculty, visitors) as well as myself aren't being exposed too dangerous fumes. The problem with 8-hr badges is that they don't account for day to day fluctuations. With radiation badges, they can be reused. We are looking for something like that. He has also called the Safety Officer at another institution to figure out if they know where to find a resusable, long-term use badge. The only other thing would be electronic devices. The longest period for a badge was 7-day when I came across skcinc.com through a google search. I figured a pathologist would know more about this because I assumed they are exposed due to the nature of their work. Thanks. Maybe I will try hospitals.

 

[KCShaw]

We only did occasional testing -- gross room, autopsy room, and our suspected highest exposure during review of autopsy specimens after sitting in formalin (got dumped on the autopsy table and residents all gathered around in a relatively closed environment with what we thought was our worst airflow). Before you spend money on doing the testing, if you haven't already then I'd suggest looking at some of the studies related to acute and chronic exposures, otherwise you might not know what to do with a month long cumulative result -- and if cumulative testing has been done before in order to publish the paper(s), then they should reference in their methods how they did cumulative testing.