Formaldehyde Exposure And It’s Potential Health Risk In Some Beauty Salons In Kumasi Metropolis
| dc.contributor.author | James Kusi Appiah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-05-06T12:58:37Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-05-06T12:58:37Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-04 | |
| dc.description | A Thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY) | |
| dc.description.abstract | Formaldehyde and compounds that release formaldehyde are used in cosmetic products to prevent spoilage and health hazards likely to be caused by microbial contamination. Exposure to high levels of formaldehyde may pose health risks to humans since it is classified in group (1) of human possible carcinogens by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Cosmetologists may be potentially exposed to high levels of formaldehyde than the general public as a result of their exposure to formaldehyde released from the various cosmetic products used in the beauty salons. In order to assess the exposure of cosmetologists to formaldehyde, the indoor air in sixty beauty salons across the ten sub-metros in Kumasi were sampled to determine the formaldehyde levels and the associated non-carcinogenic human health risks. Sampling was done using System Service Innovation Incorporation air sampler model 1000i and the MBTH spectrophotometric method was used for analysis. The formaldehyde concentrations ranged from 21 to 434 µg/m3. Out of the sixty salons sampled, 36 salons representing 60% had formaldehyde levels above the WHO permissible limit of 100 µg/m3 for eight hours working period and also exceeded the 55µg/m3 and 9µg/m3 chronic and acute reference exposure limit set by Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Twenty-four (24) salons representing 40% had formaldehyde levels below the WHO permissible limit of 100µg/m3 for eight hours working period. The results of this study revealed that the number of customers that visit the salon in a week, number of salon services offered and age of salon had positive significant correlation with the level of formaldehyde determined in each salon. The health risk study also revealed that about 50% of the salons had Hazard Quotient (HQ) above the safety limit (HQ=1) and may therefore pose health risks to cosmetologists in these salons. Results from the analysis of the questionnaire revealed that hairdressers in salons that provide the entire salon services captured in the study are at higher risk to the effects of formaldehyde. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | KNUST | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/16765 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | KNUST | |
| dc.title | Formaldehyde Exposure And It’s Potential Health Risk In Some Beauty Salons In Kumasi Metropolis | |
| dc.type | Thesis |