Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

The Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회)
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The health Effects of Formaldehyde during an Anatomy Dissection Course

해부실습과정에서 노출된 포름알데히드의 건강영향

박시영;김주영;사공준;김창윤

  • Published : 20060900
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Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated the acute health effect of formaldehyde during an anatomy dissection course. Methods: The formaldehyde concentrations in a gross anatomy laboratory were measured and analyzed during an anatomy dissection course attended by eighty medical students. The Pulmonary Function Test and three tests of the Korean Computerized Neurobehavioral Test (digit classification, digit addition and symbol digit) were given to thirty of the eighty medical students at the pre- and post-exposure. A questionnaire survey was administered to the eighty medical students at the pre- and post-exposure. Results: The differences in the mean FVC and FEV1 were statistically significant (p<0.01) at the preand post-exposure. In the low exposed group (<2 ppm), only the decreases in FEV1 on post-exposure were statistically significant (p<0.05) compared with FEV1 on pre-exposure. In the high exposed group (≥2 ppm), decreases in both FVC and FEV1 on post-exposure were statistically significant (p<0.05). The overall performance on the digit classification, digit addition and symbol digit of the Korean Computerized Neurobehavioral Test on post-exposure was lower than that on pre-exposure. In the low exposed group, the performances on the digit classification and symbol digit were lower than those on pre-exposure. In the high exposed group, the performances on digit classification, digit addition and symbol digit were lower than those on pre-exposure. Complaints involving the eyes, nose and throat increased substantially on post-practice compared with pre-practice in both groups. There were statistically significant differences in the complaints involving the eyes, nose and throat between the pre-practice and post-practice in both groups (p<0.05). There were more complaints in the high exposed group than in the low exposed group. Conclusions: Formaldehyde exposure during a dissection can decrease the pulmonary function and neurobehavioral performance, and can increase the complaints involving the eyes, nose and throat. The effect on the symptoms, pulmonary function and neurobehavioral performance is positively correlated with the formaldehyde level.

목적: 일개 의과대학의 해부학 실습실에서 사용되는 포름알데히드의 기중 농도를 측정하여 노출 실태를 파악하고, 자각증상의 변화, 폐기능의 변화와 신경행동기능의 변화를 통해서 포름알데히드의 건강영향을 평가하고자 하였다. 방법: 일개 의과대학에서 해부실습에 참여하고 있는 80명을 대상으로 하였다. 해부학실습실에서 지역시료 포집을 해서 포름알데히드의 기중 농도를 측정하였다. 포름알데히드의 급성 영향은 실습 전, 후 자각 증상 조사, 폐기 능 검사, 컴퓨터 신경행동검사 등을 평가하였다. 결과: 피부증상을 제외한, 눈, 코, 목의 자각 증상은 실습 전과 후에 유의한 차이가 있었고, (p<0.05), 고노출군에서 대부분의 증상이 전반적으로 크게 증가하였다. 실습전과 비교시 전체 대상자의 FVC와 FEV1는 실습 후에 유의하게 감소하였다(p<0.05). 저노출군은 FEV1감소량만이 유의한(p<0.05) 반면, 고노출군의 FVC와 FEV1감소량이 모두 통계적으로 유의하였다(p<0.01). 실습전, 후에 30명을 대상으로 시행한 컴퓨터 신경행동검사의 숫자구분, 부호숫자 짝짓기의 반응시간이 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). 숫자더하기의 반응시간은 증가하였으나, 통계적으로는 유의하지는 않았다. 숫자구분, 숫자더하기, 부호숫자 짝짓기의 오답수도 증가하였지만 그 차이는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았다. 대상자를 노출수준에 따라 구분했을때 저노출군은 숫자구분, 부호숫자 짝짓기에서 반응시간이 유의하게 증가한 반면(p<0.05), 숫자더하기의 반응 시간은 실습 후 다소 감소하였다. 고노출군은 숫자구분, 숫자더하기, 부호숫자 짝짓기 모두에서 반응시 간이 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). 결론: 해부학실습 시 의과대학생들에서의 포름알데히드 급성 노출은 자각증상 유발 외에도 폐기능과 신경행동기능을 감소시키는 것으로 나타났고 용량-반응관계가 일부검사에서 나타났다. 이 결과는 일개 의과대학에서 이루어졌으므로 전국의 의과대학 실습실의 상황을 반영할 수는 없으나 향후 의과대학 해부학 실습실의 포름알데히드 급성 노출을 줄이기 위한 조치, 즉 배기장치설치, 포름알데 히드를 다른 물질로 교체, 포르말린에서 포름알데히드 농도를 줄이는 방법을 강구하는데 도움이 될 것이다.

Keywords

References

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