Is exposure to formaldehyde in air causally associated with leukemia?—A hypothesis-based weight-of-evidence analysis

Recent scientific debate has focused on the potential for inhaled formaldehyde to cause lymphohematopoietic cancers, particularly leukemias, in humans. The concern stems from certain epidemiology studies reporting an association, although particulars of endpoints and dosimetry are inconsistent across studies and several other studies show no such effects. Animal studies generally report neither hematotoxicity nor leukemia associated with formaldehyde inhalation, and hematotoxicity studies in humans are inconsistent. Formaldehyde's reactivity has been thought to preclude systemic exposure following inhalation, and its apparent inability to reach and affect the target tissues attacked by known leukemogens has, heretofore, led to skepticism regarding its potential to cause human lymphohematopoietic cancers. Recently, however, potential modes of action for formaldehyde leukemogenesis have been hypothesized, and it has been suggested that formaldehyde be identified as a known human leukemogen. In this article, we apply our hypothesis-based weight-of-evidence (HBWoE) approach to evaluate the large body of evidence regarding formaldehyde and leukemogenesis, attending to how human, animal, and mode-of-action results inform one another. We trace the logic of inference within and across all studies, and articulate how one could account for the suite of available observations under the various proposed hypotheses. Upon comparison of alternative proposals regarding what causal processes may have led to the array of observations as we see them, we conclude that the case fora causal association is weak and strains biological plausibility. Instead, apparent association between formaldehyde inhalation and leukemia in some human studies is better interpreted as due to chance or confounding

Effects of Cement on Moisture Migration in Concrete Phase A: Laboratory Study of Moisture Migration in Hardened Cement Paste

The Columbus Laboratories of Battelle Memorial Institute is currently conducting a study of the effect of cement on moisture migration in concrete as related to the problem of D-cracking of portland cement concrete pavements. The study began on December 31, 1970, and is planned as a 3-year program. The work plan, approved by the policy committee of the members of the Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri highway departments and the Federal Highway Administration, is composed of four parts. This report presents the results of the first part, Part A - Laboratory Study of Moisture Migration in Hardened Cement Paste. This first phase of the investigation concerned the movement of moisture into and from hardened cement pastes and the dimensional changes accompanying the moisture changes. Small slab specimens of hardened neat cement pastes were prepared from 32 different cements which were prepared at the same water/cement ratio and hydrated to the same maturity factor. For each cement the .following data were obtained: (1) Maturity factor at time of testing; (2) Total evaporable water content of the saturated specimens at time of testing (2 specimens each cement); (3)The total evaporable water list in isothermally (74 \ub0F) drying from initial saturation to equilibrium at each of two conditions of lower relative humidity, viz. (2 specimens each cement): 75 percent relative humidity and 25 percent relative humidity; (4) The rate of moisture loss under conditions of Item (3); (5) The total evaporable water gained when the partially dried specimens of Item (3) were reexposed (at 74 \ub0F) to 100 percent relative humidity; (6) The rate of moisture absorption under conditions of Item (5); (7) Data as in Item (3) for second cycle of drying at 74 \ub0F; (8) Data as in Item (4) for second cycle of drying; (9) The total evaporable water lost in isothermally (100 \ub0F) drying from initial saturation to equilibrium at 75 percent relative humidity (2 specimens each cement); (10) The rate of moisture loss under the conditions of Item (9); and (11) After equilibrium was attained in Item (9) the specimen temperature was decreased to 74 \ub0F and Steps (5) through (8) were carried out. Statistical techniques were used to identify significant differences in the moisture migration behavior of the cement pastes

Neutralization of Chloride in Concrete

DOT-FH-11-8133This study was concerned with one solution to the problem of deterioration of bridge decks due to corrosion of reinforcing steel caused by chloride from deicing salts. Flushing of salts by application of water to the underside of the concrete and electrochemical removal of the chlorides were investigated. Flushing was found to be ineffective and work on it was abandoned early. However, the electrochemical removal technique showed promise of success first in the laboratory and later in a small scale field trial. In the latter chloride present at the level of the top rebar mat was reduced to below the concentration that is known to cause corrosion in 24 hours of treatment, and active corrosion of the steel that was going on was completely stopped

Reactor materials.

"A quarterly technical progress review".Mode of access: Internet.Prepared for the Division of Technical Information, USAEC, by Battelle Memorial Institute, 1962-1968; by Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus Laboratories, fall 1968-fall 1970

Bioenvironmental-effects predictions for the proposed Cannikin underground nuclear detonation at Amchitka Island, Alaska /

"BMI-171-141.""Prepared for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission under contract no. AT(26-1)-171.""October, 1971."Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-28).Mode of access: Internet

An assessment of technology for possible utilization of Bayer process muds /

Mode of access: Internet

A preliminary mathematical model for predicting the transport of radionuclides in the marine environment,

Prepared for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission under Contract No. AT(26-1)-171..Includes bibliographical references.Mode of access: Internet

Critical experiments, measurements, and analyses to establish a crack arrest methodology for nuclear pressure vessel steels : 4th annual report, October 1977 - October 1978 /

"Date published: May 1979."Prepared under contract no. AT(49-24)-0293."NRC FIN NO. A4046.""BMI-2025.""NUREG/CR-0825.Includes bibliographical references.Mode of access: Internet