Aerotoxic radio programme.

Todays update demonstrating that poisoning is taking place even on flights with no “fume event”.

That's very interesting, Bill.
It's not my field so I don't recognise the instruments that the passengers are using, but three of the four videos uploaded to the site you have provided a link to show the air quality as :( and the background radiation as high - in fact dangerously high on one instrument. I'm aware that background radiation increases with increasing altitude simply because there's fewer air molecules to absorb interstellar radiation. Unfortunately the videos aren't of sufficient quality to read the measurements clearly. Three of the videos show the same type of instruments being used and the fourth video a single, different air quality monitor.
I assume the users have had the instruments calibrated to some kind of recognised standard.
If it's this easy to measure air quality, then surely it's built into the instrument suite of a modern aircraft's monitoring system?
And if not, why not?

Thank you for posting the extra information.
I. for one, would appreciate you updating this thread occasionally.

Colin :):):)
 
Be them mine or somebody else’s I tend to find my biggest problem when flying is farts What ever you do don’t sit behind me on a plane you will be poisoned I’ve probably done a few people In.😜
 
That's very interesting, Bill.
It's not my field so I don't recognise the instruments that the passengers are using, but three of the four videos uploaded to the site you have provided a link to show the air quality as :( and the background radiation as high - in fact dangerously high on one instrument. I'm aware that background radiation increases with increasing altitude simply because there's fewer air molecules to absorb interstellar radiation. Unfortunately the videos aren't of sufficient quality to read the measurements clearly. Three of the videos show the same type of instruments being used and the fourth video a single, different air quality monitor.
I assume the users have had the instruments calibrated to some kind of recognised standard.
If it's this easy to measure air quality, then surely it's built into the instrument suite of a modern aircraft's monitoring system?
And if not, why not?

Thank you for posting the extra information.
I. for one, would appreciate you updating this thread occasionally.

Colin :):):)

I’m sure that monitoring would be relatively simple but that those with financial interests would much prefer not to see the results. Filters are also relatively cheaply available.
I remember Cranfield having a small monitoring project many years ago. The results suggested no problem, but it was of a very small number of flights. At that time I knew of aircraft producing the “sweaty socks” odour on every flight. Subsequently a study for Lufthansa found residue of the suspect chemicals on the aircraft.
As far as the article goes, I think that the videos were simply frequent flyers using their own monitors, probably not accurately calibrated but enough to suggest a problem.
 

Just a reminder for those following the important issue of aerotoxicity that the BBCR4 programme 'Something in the Air?' is broadcast this evening 20:00 - 20:40.
The BBC Sounds page for the programme has a useful introduction to aerotoxicity if you'd like some background information.
The programme will be available on iPlayer if you can't listen to the live broadcast. 'File on 4' programmes are usually available for over a year on iPlayer after broadcast and can be downloaded.

(With thanks to Bill - 2cv - for bringing aerotoxicity and this programme to our attention).

Colin 🙂🙂🙂
 
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Thanks for that Colin as well as tonight it’s repeated on Sunday 1st March on Radio 4 again at 3pm.

Today the BBC had a detailed article about the problem. Link Here
 
I went to the showing of Everybody Flies last night, a sell out and a really excellent film. If only it could be given exposure on mainstream tv this problem would have to be solved very quickly to quell the outrage of the public. Apparently Netflix are considering it, let’s hope.
 
A major step forward in the US courts:

Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE)

Press Release

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 11 August 2020

Oregon airline captain wins major workers’ compensation case in relation to contaminated air on aircraft.

London, England.

On the 31st of July 2020, the State of Oregon (USA) Workers' Compensation Board ruled in favour of Captain Andrew Myers. Andrew Myers had been a Jet Blue Captain who was exposed chronically to contaminated air on the Airbus aircraft he flew followed by an acute oil fume event in early 2017.

The 'Opinion and Order' from the Oregon Compensation Board as well as the final reply from his attorney Glen Lasken can be seen on the GCAQE News page at:


This is an historic ruling in the USA and has global implications for the aviation industry. The long held industry position of denial in relation to contaminated air on aircraft has been firmly discredited.

Captain Myers and his family, supported by his legal team headed up by Oregon based Workers’ Compensation attorney Glen Lasken showed persistent determination in their fight for justice.

Lasken commented:

“It's the first case in the US to establish that the fumes that injured Myers are dangerous, though Myers is far from alone in his injuries. It’s a pretty ground breaking case. It’s a big victory for airline staff and passengers.”

GCAQE Spokesperson Captain Tristan Loraine stated:

“The US Senate aviation sub committee was briefed on this problem in the early 1990s by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) and here we are today, nearly thirty years later, still waiting for aircraft to be fitted with effective filtration and detection systems. The cans of synthetic jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids that passengers and crews are being exposed to on aircraft clearly state: ‘do not breathe mist or vapour from heated product; risk of cancer; suspected of damaging fertility.’ The industry’s continued procrastination on this issue is not acceptable.”

Lasken further commented:

“My hope is that this case and others that will inevitably follow, will compel the airline industry to be more concerned about the quality of the air being breathed by crew and passengers alike.”

For further information contact:

Captain Tristan Loraine

GCAQE Spokesperson

Email: gcaqe@gcaqe.org

+44 (0) 7968 213862

Global Cabin Air Quality Executive

First Floor

10 Queen Street Place

London,

EC4R 1BE

England

Notes to editors:

· An educational film explaining these issues is available at:


· Cabin breathing air on all aircraft apart from the Boeing 787 is taken directly from the engines and provided unfiltered to the aircraft. This is known as 'Bleed Air'.

· Bleed air is known to become contaminated with engine oils and/or hydraulic fluids. These are hazardous especially to the unborn.

· Contaminated bleed air events have been recognised as occurring since the 1950s.

· No aircraft currently flying has any form of detection system fitted to warn when these events occur.

· Flight safety is being compromised by contaminated air events.

· Crew and passengers have been reporting short and long-term health effects as a consequence of exposure to contaminated air.

· Contaminated air events are not rare and known to be under reported.

· Passengers are never told about the risks or these exposures.

· The aviation industry has and continues to fail to adequately address this issue.

· This US ruling comes 10 years after the High Court of Australia upheld a ruling that inhaling heated engine oil fumes were harmful (Joanne Turner case) and twenty one years after the Compensation Court of New South Wales in Australia ruled, on 28 April 1999 in the Alysia Chew case. Alysia Chew had flown for Ansett and East West Airlines and had been exposed to fumes on the BAe 146 between January 1992 and October 1993. The New South Wales Compensation Court reviewed her claim that she was: “exposed to fumes, toxic substances and other irritants whilst carrying out her duties as a flight attendant” and ruled she had: “Suffered injury arising out of and in the course of her employment”.

· The GCAQE was established in 2006 and is the leading group in the world representing airline employees in relation to the issue of contaminated air on aircraft.
 
I heard about this a few years ago without really understanding what it was about, not even sure it was referred to as aerotoxicity then, so thanks for the links Bill.
Many dangers within industries have been acted on, asbestosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis etc., so it can only be a matter of time before aerotoxicty is taken seriously enough for something to be done for the safety of crew and passengers alike.
 
It's not just the dirty air inside the planes, is it ?
Since lockdown, we've noticed a reversal of the lovely pure sky near our house 25 miles from Faro.
The modern jets still creep in quietly on their way in, but outgoing blast their way upwards, once they're clear of the posh coastal resorts.
How much fuel do they burn , in an average day..
The planes overhead are almost back to pre lockdown levels.
How much Jet 2 does Jet2 splash over us ?
 
It's not just the dirty air inside the planes, is it ?
Since lockdown, we've noticed a reversal of the lovely pure sky near our house 25 miles from Faro.
The modern jets still creep in quietly on their way in, but outgoing blast their way upwards, once they're clear of the posh coastal resorts.
How much fuel do they burn , in an average day..
The planes overhead are almost back to pre lockdown levels.
How much Jet 2 does Jet2 splash over us ?

The aerotoxic syndrome problem is mainly due to leaking oil vapour getting into air conditioning within the aircraft and the toxicity of the oil additives, so really only affects those in and very close to the aircraft. With regards to air pollution from aircraft, it’s not actually a major contributor to overall pollution, and even those travelling by air may cause more on their journey to and from the airport than during their actual flight. A long read on that topic here.
 
Further information out today about contact with the oils. Interestingly I was found to have raised levels of benzene, toluene and xylene. Link
Geez I remember racing at Scarborough and following an outfit around the circuit during our 15 minute morning practice, my eyes were streaming it was like being in a car spray shop without any respirator . As it emerged they were adding Toluene at a small percentage to the fuel. By doing this during combustion it would allow the engine run cooler enabling you to up the compression.:oops:
If i remember correctly there was an article where a guy had cleaned an alloy bike casing using brake cleaner and then tig welded the damaged area, he noticed a small pool of the cleaner was still present in one corner but thought this will burn off not knowing that that introducing argon when hot this produces Phosgene which caused irreversible damage to the welders organs.
I cant find the article i may be wrong on that it may have been trichloroethylene present in the brake cleaner.
 

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