Observer Reveals Toxic Gas Threat To Air Safety
by Leonora Oppenheim, London, UK on 02.26.06
We know that the air pollution caused by airplanes constantly flying around the globe is one of the biggest factors damaging the environment. Did you know, however, that the detrimental impact of this pollution is not only restricted to the air outside the plane, but the air inside the cabin is also affected. The Observer newspaper has revealed today that ‘pilots, cabin crew and passengers are being exposed to a potentially toxic gas’.
Antony Barnett writes: ‘that in the past three years there have been reports of more than 100 incidents where fumes have contaminated the air inside British aircraft. The gases are potentially damaging to health, with one new report from University College London suggesting that up to 197,000 passengers are exposed to the contaminated air every year.’
Barnett gives several examples of reports by cabin staff of feeling nauseous and dizzy with a burning sensation in the nose and mouth. We are told that scientists believe these symptoms to be caused by
‘burning engine oil leaking into the ventilation system’. The engine oil includes toxic chemicals that are organo-phospates similar to pesticides.
However the airline industry has countered these claims, a spokesman from BA said: 'While we know of incidences where the crew have raised concerns about fumes, investigations carried out in conjunction with the CAA found that there were no health implications. Further studies on our Boeing 757 fleet were carried out by an independent specialist that concluded that of oil compounds in the cabin were well below the toxicological threshold for humans.’
Read the full Observer article by Antony Barnett here.
via Observer newspaper
Not all of the "smoke" you see on the aircraft picture is smoke. The air pressure drops dramatically inside the wingtip vortexes, causing the water in the humid air to condense. The same phenomenon should happen outboard of the flaps, if the airplane were in the landing configuration. I believe that white stuff forming in the exhaust-path is water-vapor too, but I don't remember the mechanism that causes it to form, at the moment.
What is much more significant is the slightly-dark exhaust that you can see in the trail of the DC-9 type aircraft. ATC slang reportedly calls them "Diesel 9"s. But, the exhaust trail doesn't show up well in pictures -- so somewhat misleading pictures like this one take its place. :-(
I'm puzzled on how this is news. Anyone who has ever sat in a plane on the tarmac waiting to taxi has smelled the exhaust. Many planes use bleedoff from the engines compressor stage to provide pressurized air for the cabin.
Don't feed the trolls.
Andrew, the situation is different on the tarmac where exhaust air recirculates to the engine intake.I think its news because compressor air is assumed to not contain any fumes, so if this assumption were truly wrong the effects could be significant. However the article states 197000 people affected out of millions flying, so there seems to be no reason for alarm.
Re: the first comment, the white stuff is indeed water vapor, which is a natural product of combustion, it condenses into droplets when exposed to the freezing air upon exhaust
hello
Here's a picture that show jet exhaust:
http://photolibrary.usap.gov/AntarcticaLibrary/C141fi1.jpg
Since this picture was taken in Antarctica, it's worth noting that the air is probably much cooler and drier than it is where I live (the east coast of the US). Also, the aircraft is in the landing configuration -- so the engines are at a fairly low power setting.
I am 55 years old I am convinced that jet and plane exhaust fumes contribute 100% to global warming. Lets face it Jet travel has increased 100 fold since 1952 when I was born I have felt the sun's heat on my body get stronger and stronger as I look up in 2006 and count no less than 27 jet planes In only 30 minutes and that was at 9.30am in 24 hours who knows? When will the government Ban Jet Planes for passive pollution of the Upper Atmosphere I doubt It......