Effects of chronic exposure to formaldehyde on micronucleus rate of bone marrow cells in male mice

Formaldehyde (fa) is the major volatile organic chemical (voc) present in indoor air,and a constituent known to be associated with sick building syndrome. in the present study,mice were exposed to different concentrations of fa (0,1,10 mg/m3) through static inhalation for 2 hours per day for 20 weeks. the polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocyte (pce/nce) ratio and the micronucleus rates in bone marrow cells were detected. data indicated that the pce/nce ratio in two fa exposure groups were statistically significant lower than the negative control group (p <0.05),and the micronucleus rate in two fa exposure groups were not significantly higher than the control group (p>0.05). these results suggest that chronic static inhalation of fa can reduce the ratio of pce/nce in the mice bone marrow,but the effects to the mice bone micronucleus rate are not sure. © 2017,pakistan medical association. all rights reserved.