Goal, Scope, Background. This research estimates the impact of ambient formaldehyde concentrations derived from monitored levels of air pollution on the risk of excess life-time cancer mortality among adults in nine major urban areas of the Russian Federation.
Methods. Ambient air monitoring data for 1993 and 1998 for formaldehyde collected from nine major Russian urban areas (Saint Petersburg, Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Samara, Volgograd, Saratov, and Nizhi Novogorod) are used with the EPA"s unit risk factors to assess the risk of cancer deaths attributable to exposure to ambient formaldehyde concentrations.
Results and Discussion. The analysis indicates that elevated ambient concentrations of formaldehyde may cause premature cancer deaths among adults in Russian urban areas. Application of unit risk factors for inhalation indicates that exposure to ambient formaldehyde concentrations is estimated to cause between 14.5 to 21.6 cancer-related deaths per year in the nine towns included in this study.
Conclusions. The results of this analysis underscore the importance of reducing formaldehyde concentrations in urban air for Russia"s urban areas. Environmental and occupational health policy issues center on designing and implementing effective emissions controls to limit exposures and manage the potential risks to the health of Russia"s urban populations. |
