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Health risk air travel research shows poisonous air in aircraft cabins
In the face of numerous incidents and especially since the death of a pilot, a dispute is pelting around poisonous fumes in aircraft cabins. In a new study, scientists now found harmful mixtures of substances that are likely to come from the engines.
Toxic fumes in airplanes
If people travel by plane, they are often afraid of flying or even threatened with thrombosis during air travel. There has been another fear in recent years: there are increasing reports of incidents in aviation that could possibly be due to toxic fumes in aircraft cabins. There is talk of delicate landings, sick stewardesses and flight attendants as well as incalculable consequences for passengers. However, the medical contexts have so far been little researched. According to a report by the dpa news agency, scientists from the University of Göttingen have now investigated which substances can cause which disease symptoms.
Toxins in aircraft. Image: Michael Sagittarius - fotolia Danger to the nerves and the cardiovascular system
For nearly three years, the occupational physicians around Astrid Heutelbeck examined samples of people complaining of complaints about flights. They examined more than 140 patients - especially flight crew - and analyzed blood or urine samples immediately after flights. They found in addition to the already known organophosphates, which have a negative effect on enzymes in the body, also regularly called volatile organic compounds (VOC) or their degradation products. These substances attack according to health experts nerves and cardiovascular system and also irritate the respiratory tract.
Leakage in the engine
The researchers suspect that the substances in the turbines could be released from kerosene, oils or de-icing agents at high temperatures and could enter the bleed air via leaks in the engine. According to the information in almost all passenger aircraft, the cabin air is tapped from the engines. There are always found by technicians laughing of oil or de-icing agents. Since the 1950s so-called "fume events" (haze events) are described. The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) has registered no fewer than 663 cases for German airlines between 2006 and 2013.
Pilot and co-pilot with oxygen masks
An incident that caused a stir was that of a German Wings machine in 2010. During the approach to Cologne, the pilot and co-pilot put on oxygen masks after they had noticed a sharp burning smell and had become sick. The Airbus landed safely then. Although there have been many incidents, there is no scientific evidence that cabin air can really cause disease. According to their own information, the Göttingen physicians have now come closer to this connection. In the coming weeks, they want to present their results at conferences and in specialist articles. The clinical picture of the controversial "aerotoxic syndrome" will be outlined in more detail. This term is used by experts to summarize health complaints attributable to the inhalation of contaminated cabin air in aircraft.
Saved auxiliary turbines for cost reasons
As the news agency dpa reports, the pilot association Cockpit sees now aircraft manufacturers and the European regulatory authority EASA in the duty. The association requires technical measures to avoid dangerous fumes in aircraft cabins. The Association advocates additional auxiliary turbines for the cabin air, which were long common at the beginning of the jet age, but then saved for cost and weight reasons. It is said that in modern large-capacity jets Boeing alone does not use the 787 on bleed air directly from the drive. Cockpit and the cabin crew union Ufo demand from manufacturers and EASA to finally stop the health risks for passengers and crews. According to "flightglobal.com", EASA commissioned the Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Fraunhofer Institute some time ago with an investigation into the pollutant load on cabin air. Accordingly, the cabin air in the normal state and at "Fume" events should be investigated..
No guideline values for the breathing air
According to Heutelbeck, there are no guidelines for breathing air for many of the substances that have been found in the laboratory for the first time. "These are all substances that are banned in consumer products. There are only values for hazardous materials jobs, but that's not what it's all about here. "The Berufsgenossenschaft Verkehr in Hamburg, which is responsible for such accidents at work, also comes under fire. According to the physicians of Göttingen, treatment benefits are often stopped within a few days and no lab results await, unless technical reports of the incidents are available.
Medical competence center for those affected
However, the cooperative takes by its own admission, the problem very seriously. However, there are inconsistent symptoms and unclear diagnoses. It is said that the number of illnesses lasting more than six weeks per year is in the single-digit range. A permanent health damage has been reported to have never been established. Verdi does not just take care of the flying staff. "The people on the ground are highly endangered," said her traffic expert Robert Hengster. Therefore, Verdi is committed to establishing a medical competence center for the diagnosis and treatment of those affected. (Ad)