Occupational Exposure Of Formaldehyde At Some Mortuaries In The Ashanti Region Of Ghana

Formaldehyde is the main ingredient in embalming liquids used in mortuaries for preserving bodies. Due to its carcinogenicity, it has raised questions about the occupational health of workers in health facilities that work with formaldehyde. This poses health risk to morticians, hospital workers and mortuary workers. This study measures the formaldehyde levels both indoor and outdoor at some selected mortuaries in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Air samples were taken from various rooms, corridors and immediate environment of these mortuaries using the 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazine hydrochloride method. Temperature and relative humidity were also measured and a survey on the potential formaldehyde sources in these facilities and health effects were administered to respondents at the same time. The levels of formaldehyde recorded for mortuaries in this study ranged between 14-710μg/m3. Temperature and relative humidity were positively correlated with the level of formaldehyde (p=0.003). Workers in the mortuaries complained of symptoms such as eye irritation, nose and throat irritations, headaches and sometimes vomiting. These symptoms are related to specific place of activity within the facility and how frequent a particular worker visits or comes to work weekly. The hazard quotient values calculated ranged from 0.1 to 5.2.