Introduction: Formaldehyde is an industrial chemical that is classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC). It is commonly use in mortuaries for the preservation (embalmment) of the dead in Rivers State. Mortuary workers are occupationally exposed to formaldehyde by inhalation and skin contact. This objective/aim of the study was to measure and compare the concentration of formaldehyde in public and private mortuaries of Rivers State, Nigeria. Methodology: This cross-sectional (field) survey was carried out in 9 public and 6 private mortuaries in Rivers State. The Time-Weighted Average (TWA) and short- Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of formaldehyde concentrations in the embalmment sections of the mortuaries were measured using a suitable formaldehyde gas detector instrument. The mortuaries were selected by a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected, entered and analyzed using XL STATA and SPSS and presented in tables and graphs. Results: The mean TWA concentration of formaldehyde in public and private mortuaries was 2.42+-1.77 and 2.52+-0.99 ppm respectively. Also, the STEL concentration measured in public and private mortuaries were 0.91+-0.99 and 1.93+-1.22 ppm. The 8 hour TWA values exceeded OSHA (0.75) and NIOSH (0.016 ppm) standards. Conclusion: There was a high concentration of formaldehyde in both public and private mortuaries which may pose high risk to the health of the mortuary workers of Rivers State. The study recommended health education and surveillance among mortuary workers and good engineering design in the mortuary.
Background: Formaldehyde (FA) is a well-known chemical widely used in mortuaries in Nigeria for the preservation of human cadavers, yet little is known of the potential health risk associated with occupational exposure to formaldehyde in mortuaries. This study evaluated the potential health risk associated with occupational exposure to formaldehyde in mortuaries in Rivers State, Nigeria. Methodology: The study was carried out in 7 public and 8 private mortuaries and the concentrations of formaldehyde to which the morticians are exposed were measured during the embalmment process. Modeling of health related risk was carried out in accordance with methods recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Results: The results showed that the lethal concentrations of formaldehyde in the mortuaries far exceeded the “No Significant Risk Levels” (LC50 = 3.3 ppm for public mortuaries; and 3.46 ppm for private mortuaries). Analysis showed that 77.2% of workers in the public mortuaries have high daily formaldehyde exposure index, while 88.24% of the workers in the private mortuaries have high daily formaldehyde exposure index. The difference between the formaldehyde daily exposure index and daily potential dose in public and private mortuaries was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Computed hazard quotients for both public and private were 1.25 and 3.0 respectively (> 1). Computed cancer related risk values for public and private mortuaries were 1.5x10-3 and 1.9x10-3 respectively. Conclusion: The study showed that embalmers in both the public and private mortuaries in Rivers State occupationally exposed to formaldehyde have significant risk of developing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic related health problems. It is therefore, recommended that operators of mortuaries and Rivers State Government should provide FA monitoring device and continuous health education for workers.
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