Indoor Formaldehyde Concentration, Personal Formaldehyde Exposure and Clinical Symptoms during Anatomy Dissection Sessions, University of Medicine 1, Yangon.

Win-Yu Aung,Tin-Tin Win-Shwe,Htin Linn,Ayana Sato,Hironari Sakamoto,Shigehisa Uchiyama,Naoki Kunugita,Nanda Shein,Zaw-Lin Thein,Ohn Mar,Myint-San Nwe,Ei-Ei-Pan-Nu Yi

doi:10.3390/ijerph18020712

Abstract

The formaldehyde (FA) embalming method, the world’s most common protocol for the fixation of cadavers, has been consistently used in medical universities in Myanmar. This study was designed to examine the indoor FA concentrations in anatomy dissection rooms, an exposed site, and lecture theater, an unexposed control site, and to access personal exposure levels of FA and clinical symptoms of medical students and instructors. In total, 208 second year medical students (1/2019 batch) and 18 instructors from Department of Anatomy, University of Medicine 1, participated. Thirteen dissection sessions were investigated from February 2019 to January 2020. Diffusive sampling devices were used as air samplers and high-performance liquid chromatography was used for measurement of FA. Average indoor FA concentration of four dissection rooms was 0.43 (0.09–1.22) ppm and all dissection rooms showed indoor concentrations above the occupational exposure limits and short-term exposure limit for general population. Personal FA exposure values were higher than indoor FA concentrations and the instructors (0.68, 0.04–2.11 ppm) had higher exposure than the students (0.44, 0.06–1.72 ppm). Unpleasant odor, eye and nose irritations and inability to concentrate were frequently reported FA-related symptoms, and the students were found to have significantly higher risks (p < 0.05) of having these symptoms during the dissection sessions than during lecture.

Highlights

In-were once the FA exposure during their dissection sessions; of them door FA concentrations in all dissection rooms were above the occupational exposure subjects having personal samplers attached to the breathing zone during the dissection limit-ceiling (OEL-C), by during the Japan
Indoor FA concentrations in all dissection rooms were above the occupational exposure limit-ceiling (OEL-C), 0.1 ppm, set by the Japan Society for Occupational Health [28]
It is obvious that indoor air quality of the dissection rooms due to FA is undesirable

Summary

Introduction

Human anatomy has been a keystone of the medical education. An understanding of structures of the human body provides a platform of knowledge suitable for all medical professionals [1]. An important learning resource is a cadaveric dissection, a cornerstone in the training of medical students for the development of 3D awareness of the human body in both visual and tactile ways [2]. To preserve cadavers, embalming is mandatory to get tissue preservation with minimal structural changes [3].

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Conclusion