Bioavailability in rabbits of formaldehyde from durable-press textiles

Carbon-14-labeled formaldehyde was used per se, or was used in the synthesis of dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU), which was incorporated into cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric. Patches of the fabric containing known quantities of radioactive DMDHEU were applied to the backs of New Zealand White rabbits for periods up to 48 h. The rabbits were placed in specially constructed metabolism chambers designed to prevent either inhalation of volatile material emanating from the fabric or interference of any volatile material from the fabric with trapping of expired carbon dioxide. The results of the studies indicate that aqueous formaldehyde covered with a latex barrier is absorbed and retained in the layers of skin in direct contact with the formaldehyde. Approximately 65% of a dose of [14C] formaldehyde was recovered in skin 4 h after application. Skin samples from the backs of rabbits to which durable-press fabric prepared from radiolabeled DMDHEU had been applied were found to have 0.09-2.61% of the total 14C contained in the cloth patches. The levels of radioactivity recovered from the skin varied with degree of occlusion of the cloth, presence or absence of perspiration, type of synthesis used for the preparation of DMDHEU, and whether cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric was used. Other tissues and organs had only low levels of radioactivity. Injected [14C] formaldehyde was rapidly expired as 14CO2 (28.6% of the dose within 4 h; 37.0% within 48 h). Metabolism and distribution of formaldehyde was found to be dependent on route of administration: i.e., topical application resulted in high skin levels, whereas intravenous injection led to rapid pulmonary and renal excretion and retention of radioactivity in liver, kidney, and blood.