Organophosphate in Cabin Air from Engine Oil
03-03-2015, 03:18 PM
#1
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Organophosphate in Cabin Air from Engine Oil
This is the first I've heard of this. Anyone heard of problems from US pilots? Seems the Brits and Europeans think this could be a significant issue:
From: Many pilots 'medically-impaired' due to toxic cabin air - 2/26/2015 - Flight Global
The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive heard at its annual conference in London yesterday that at least 3% of airline pilots are flying with degraded physical and mental performance caused by repeated exposure to neurotoxins in the aircraft cabin air, and may actually become incapacitated during flight if their exposure continues.
This assessment was presented to the conference by Dr Michel Mulder, a former KLM airline captain and medical doctor who now specialises in helping pilots whose health has been damaged by their work. He also reported that a KLM internal communication concedes that “incapacitation in the cockpit is a regular occurrence”.
Mulder is the primary expert behind the medical assessment and treatment of British Airways senior first officer Richard Westgate, whose health was seriously impaired and died in December 2012 aged 43. The Westgate case is being examined by a Coroner’s Court in the UK, and the Court has recently demanded that BA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority state what they intend to do to prevent such deaths in future.
Mulder has developed a test programme for pilots that can determine how much their performance has been degraded by organophosphate neurotoxins from engine oil, which are present at low levels in pressurised cabin air, and occasionally at high levels when a “fume event” occurs. He says the test can predict each pilot's risk level, forecasting approximately how long it will be until the affected individual suffers actual incapacitation during a flight.
Mulder has found that the pilots' tested performance corresponds remarkably with the results of blood tests. He has found a correlation between the significant reduction in naturally occurring essential biochemical markers like the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase – which experts relate to the body's immune-system response to organophosphates – and the degree of degradation of physical and mental response.
Annual medical tests that pilots are required to undergo are not designed to detect these defects, says Mulder.
From: Many pilots 'medically-impaired' due to toxic cabin air - 2/26/2015 - Flight Global
The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive heard at its annual conference in London yesterday that at least 3% of airline pilots are flying with degraded physical and mental performance caused by repeated exposure to neurotoxins in the aircraft cabin air, and may actually become incapacitated during flight if their exposure continues.
This assessment was presented to the conference by Dr Michel Mulder, a former KLM airline captain and medical doctor who now specialises in helping pilots whose health has been damaged by their work. He also reported that a KLM internal communication concedes that “incapacitation in the cockpit is a regular occurrence”.
Mulder is the primary expert behind the medical assessment and treatment of British Airways senior first officer Richard Westgate, whose health was seriously impaired and died in December 2012 aged 43. The Westgate case is being examined by a Coroner’s Court in the UK, and the Court has recently demanded that BA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority state what they intend to do to prevent such deaths in future.
Mulder has developed a test programme for pilots that can determine how much their performance has been degraded by organophosphate neurotoxins from engine oil, which are present at low levels in pressurised cabin air, and occasionally at high levels when a “fume event” occurs. He says the test can predict each pilot's risk level, forecasting approximately how long it will be until the affected individual suffers actual incapacitation during a flight.
Mulder has found that the pilots' tested performance corresponds remarkably with the results of blood tests. He has found a correlation between the significant reduction in naturally occurring essential biochemical markers like the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase – which experts relate to the body's immune-system response to organophosphates – and the degree of degradation of physical and mental response.
Annual medical tests that pilots are required to undergo are not designed to detect these defects, says Mulder.
03-03-2015, 03:37 PM
#3
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Aerotoxic Syndrome
Aerotoxic syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aerotoxic Association
Aerotoxic Association - Informing and supporting those affected by Aerotoxic Syndrome
Aerotoxic testing
aerotoxic_syndrome
ATS is getting much more attention in Europe than in the US, although there are probably more people suffering in the US. Pilots and Flight Attendants are gassed on a regular basis and probably don't even recognize it. Have you ever smelled that acrid fume odor when the packs shut down to start engines, or just after you shut the motors down and the APU takes over the packs? Yep, that's it. It's the burned vapor of the oily goop and goo that's seeps into the pneumatic system from the motors and/or APU. The ATS website refers to a "fume event" where the cabin is filled with smoke, but it's more common at low levels on just about every Boeing product.
Burning oil in the chief pilots office and fanning the vapor for all to enjoy would probably be frowned upon, but for some reason it's OK in a pilot's workspace.
Until people recognize it for what it is, and demand testing, we'll continue to get doses that could be a significant health risk.
Aerotoxic syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aerotoxic Association
Aerotoxic Association - Informing and supporting those affected by Aerotoxic Syndrome
Aerotoxic testing
aerotoxic_syndrome
ATS is getting much more attention in Europe than in the US, although there are probably more people suffering in the US. Pilots and Flight Attendants are gassed on a regular basis and probably don't even recognize it. Have you ever smelled that acrid fume odor when the packs shut down to start engines, or just after you shut the motors down and the APU takes over the packs? Yep, that's it. It's the burned vapor of the oily goop and goo that's seeps into the pneumatic system from the motors and/or APU. The ATS website refers to a "fume event" where the cabin is filled with smoke, but it's more common at low levels on just about every Boeing product.
Burning oil in the chief pilots office and fanning the vapor for all to enjoy would probably be frowned upon, but for some reason it's OK in a pilot's workspace.
Until people recognize it for what it is, and demand testing, we'll continue to get doses that could be a significant health risk.
03-04-2015, 09:06 AM
#5
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Jet turbine oil operates at temperatures unheard of in other engines. One of the big stabilizing additives is Tricresyphosphate. As I understand it, TCP makes the viscosity stay more constant over the extreme temp range of a high altitude jets...burning inside; -40 outside.
Unfortunately, TCp does exactly what the article says. If there is a leak in the first-stage bearing of the engine, aerosolized oil will be pumped into the cabin.
The question: is it present in sufficient quantity to be a hazard? we could ask the same question when driving in city traffic, and you can smell the exhaust of the car in front if you. it's there....but how bad?
Maybe a year ago, about 30 kids died in India after eating lunch at school. The cook used a discarded oil can to hold cooking oil.
that discarded can had once contained oil with TCP.
If you ever personally add jet oil to an engine, it is highly recommended to wash with soap and warm water before eating. usually says so on the side of the can.
Unfortunately, TCp does exactly what the article says. If there is a leak in the first-stage bearing of the engine, aerosolized oil will be pumped into the cabin.
The question: is it present in sufficient quantity to be a hazard? we could ask the same question when driving in city traffic, and you can smell the exhaust of the car in front if you. it's there....but how bad?
Maybe a year ago, about 30 kids died in India after eating lunch at school. The cook used a discarded oil can to hold cooking oil.
that discarded can had once contained oil with TCP.
If you ever personally add jet oil to an engine, it is highly recommended to wash with soap and warm water before eating. usually says so on the side of the can.
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