Comparative Assessment of Formaldehyde Concentrations in Public and Private Mortuaries in Rivers State, Nigeria

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.