The Toxic Effects of Formaldehyde on the Nervous System

Formaldehyde (FA) (formula: HCHO; IUPAC name: metanal) is a member of the aldehyde family and is one of the simplest organic molecules. FA is an irritating, colorless gas that has a pungent smell (Franklin et al. 2000; Smith 1992; Songur et al. 2003; Yamato et al. 2005). It is rarely found in its original state because it has a short half-life in air and decomposes in light to form a toxic substance. FA is highly soluble in water, as well as in most organic solvents, and is a highly reactive molecule that can be irritating to tissues through direct contact. Furthermore, FA causes cytotoxicity through the formation of strong DNA-protein cross-links, as well as cross-links with other molecules, e.g., amino acids (Cheng et al. 2003; Gurel et al. 2005; Metz et al. 2004). © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.