Aldehydes and Acetals

Abstract

Aldehydes and acetals are both naturally occurring and the result of manufacturing processes, resulting in potential human exposures in occupational settings and from the ambient air and the use of consumer products. Aldehydes and acetals have been identified as genotoxicants, carcinogens, reproductive and developmental toxicants, and irritants. However, many also demonstrate limited toxicological effects at anticipated exposure levels in the general population. Here, 64 aldehydes and acetals are cataloged by sub‐class, chemical and physical properties, toxicological effects, and regulatory standards for occupational and general population cohorts. This summary of selected aldehydes and acetals represents the range of potential toxicological effects, which may cause difficulty in utilizing read‐across to predict the toxicity of aldehydes and acetals without toxicological data.