Formaldehyde and its adducts are ubiquitous in nature. Food may contain formaldehyde at levels 1–100 mg/kg. Formaldehyde, formed in the metabolism of the amino acids serine and threonine, is found in the bloodstream of humans and other primates at concentrations of approximately 50 micromolar. Experiments in which animals are exposed to an atmosphere containing isotopically labeled formaldehyde have demonstrated that even in deliberately exposed animals, the majority of formaldehyde-DNA adducts found in non-respiratory tissues are derived from endogenously produced formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde and its adducts are ubiquitous in nature. Food may contain formaldehyde at levels 1–100 mg/kg. Formaldehyde, formed in the metabolism of the amino acids serine and threonine is found in the bloodstream of humans and other primates at concentrations of approximately 50 micromolar. Experiments in which animals are exposed to an atmosphere con,taining isotopically labeled formaldehyde have demonstrated that even in deliberately exposed animals, the majority of formaldehyde-DNA adducts found in non-respiratory tissues are derived from endogenously produced formaldehyde.