Chemicals With Wings
Aerotoxic Global Network·Sunday, 21 July 2019
by Bearnairdine Beaumont
Cabin crew, pilots and passengers increasingly experience a range of flight safety and health problems resulting from the uncontrolled emission of unfiltered and recycled toxic chemical fumes from a mixture of jet oil, kerosene and carbon monoxide in to the cabin breathing air.
In time regular exposure can result in ill-health. Symptoms often might not be clearly visible and for which doctor's too often still don't have an “obvious” explanation. They usually also do not think of a chemical poisoning. Often those ill-health symptoms are dismissed as either „not real“ or as „psychological“ (read also „It’s in your Head. Is it? But why?“).
The chemical fumes which crews are exposed to can cause a (acquired) chronic disorder. Many experts agree, that even so-called "low levels" of chemicals can cause symptoms of varying intensity, from mild to totally disabling. Toxic substances can affect the central nervous system and brain, the respiratory and gastrointestinal system, even the skeletal-muscular system. The eyes and ears can be affected as well, causing acute vision and chronic hearing impairments. The mentioned symptoms are increasingly known in the airline industry as "Aerotoxic Syndrome". Aerotoxic Syndrome can be likened to „Multiple Chemical Sensitivity“ (MCS) or „TILT“ (toxicant-induced loss of tolerance) as they share signs and symptoms and have similar triggers. These chemically induced illnesses also seem to be a female predominance.
Women more likely to be sensitive
A study led by University of Toronto epidemiologist Gail McKeown-Eyssen suggests that the condition may actually have a genetic basis.
The study, (published October 2004 in the International Journal of Epidemiology), investigated genetic differences between women reporting multiple chemical intolerance and those without such intolerance. The researchers recruited 203 cases and 162 controls from female respondents. They identified numerous chemical intolerance sufferers using criteria derived from earlier studies, including one by James R. Nethercott. Nethercott defines cases as those with symptoms that are chronic, those that are linked to low-level exposure to chemical agents, and those that resolve with removal of the exposure.
Women who have a higher "Cytochrome P450 2D6" which is an enzyme encoded by the "CYP2D6" gene, are three times more likely to be chemically intolerant, than those with the inactive form of the gene. These enzymes act primarily in the liver to detoxify a large number of chemicals, including caffeine and prescription drugs.
It is also highly expressed in areas of the central nervous system, including the "substantia nigra", a structure located in the mid-brain.
Considerable variations exist in the efficiency and amount of this particular enzyme produced between individuals. Hence, for chemicals that are metabolized by CYP2D6 specific individuals will eliminate them quickly and others slowly.
Slow metabolizers are three times more likely to be chemically intolerant than the fast metabolizers. Likewise, women with the so-called rapid-acetylator form of NAT2, the gene that encodes an enzyme that functions to both activate drugs and carcinogens, were four times more likely to report chemical intolerances.
Because the metabolism of some chemicals can result in toxic by-products (metabolites), people with rapid metabolisms could be more quickly accumulating toxic compounds in the body. "It depends on the compound, what the metabolites are, and how quickly they're cleared from the body, as to whether having rapid metabolism results in more exposure or less exposure," McKeown-Eyssen says.
People who suffer from chemical intolerances, report wide-ranging symptoms such as headaches, short-term memory problems, confusion, fatigue, depression, irritability, and breathing difficulties. All mentioned symptoms and more are reported by affected aircrew and increasingly also by (frequent) flyers who have been exposed to a (acute) fume event.
It is essential to understand that a so-called ‚acute’ fume event, can trigger symptoms, that have lain dormant for a long time. Meaning that the toxic body burden has been building up until it could take no more. Especially aircrew would be prone to exhibit such “out of the blue” moderate to severe reactions “suddenly”. They often express surprise having been unaware that their bodies have been in-taking and storing small doses of toxic substances over a long period. They may have dismissed minor symptoms up to date. What occurs now is TILT = the loss of tolerance to toxicants - even to minute amounts.
The Toronto researchers found that individuals were likely to exhibit specific conditions in several different forms, in one or both of the two genes: CYP2D6 and NAT2. The latter two codes stand for enzymes that metabolize pharmaceutical chemicals that target the central nervous system, including antidepressants, neurotoxins and substances that become carcinogenic when metabolized and even the body's own neurotransmitters. NAT2 also plays a role in the metabolism of various drugs and toxic chemicals, including aromatic amines – a „simple aromatic amine“ is, i.e., benzene.
The researchers found an even stronger association in women who showed the rapid-metabolizing form of both CYP2D6 and NAT2. These women were 18 times more likely than control subjects to suffer from multiple chemical intolerances. McKeown-Eyssen PhD, is cautious about this finding: "We have to be really careful about that observation," she says. "But if it's true and can be replicated, it means that some people are at very high risk.”
Long term and lasting debilitating health problems as a result of chronic exposure to neurotoxic, fertility & DNA damaging and carcinogenic chemical substances, are increasing. Aerotoxic Syndrome, aviation’s occupational injury can result in chronic chemical sensitivity amongst other immune disorders and is being experienced by countless flight crew members. Aerotoxic Syndrome is legitimate and deserves to be appropriately acknowledged by physicians, by the aviation industry and most importantly the employers liability insurers.
Go to AKAEMIA
Books
References cited:
UNFILTERED www.unfiltered.vip
©image: Aerotoxic Team Global Network
All Rights Reserved 2013- 2021
by Bearnairdine Beaumont
Cabin crew, pilots and passengers increasingly experience a range of flight safety and health problems resulting from the uncontrolled emission of unfiltered and recycled toxic chemical fumes from a mixture of jet oil, kerosene and carbon monoxide in to the cabin breathing air.
In time regular exposure can result in ill-health. Symptoms often might not be clearly visible and for which doctor's too often still don't have an “obvious” explanation. They usually also do not think of a chemical poisoning. Often those ill-health symptoms are dismissed as either „not real“ or as „psychological“ (read also „It’s in your Head. Is it? But why?“).
The chemical fumes which crews are exposed to can cause a (acquired) chronic disorder. Many experts agree, that even so-called "low levels" of chemicals can cause symptoms of varying intensity, from mild to totally disabling. Toxic substances can affect the central nervous system and brain, the respiratory and gastrointestinal system, even the skeletal-muscular system. The eyes and ears can be affected as well, causing acute vision and chronic hearing impairments. The mentioned symptoms are increasingly known in the airline industry as "Aerotoxic Syndrome". Aerotoxic Syndrome can be likened to „Multiple Chemical Sensitivity“ (MCS) or „TILT“ (toxicant-induced loss of tolerance) as they share signs and symptoms and have similar triggers. These chemically induced illnesses also seem to be a female predominance.
Women more likely to be sensitive
A study led by University of Toronto epidemiologist Gail McKeown-Eyssen suggests that the condition may actually have a genetic basis.
The study, (published October 2004 in the International Journal of Epidemiology), investigated genetic differences between women reporting multiple chemical intolerance and those without such intolerance. The researchers recruited 203 cases and 162 controls from female respondents. They identified numerous chemical intolerance sufferers using criteria derived from earlier studies, including one by James R. Nethercott. Nethercott defines cases as those with symptoms that are chronic, those that are linked to low-level exposure to chemical agents, and those that resolve with removal of the exposure.
Women who have a higher "Cytochrome P450 2D6" which is an enzyme encoded by the "CYP2D6" gene, are three times more likely to be chemically intolerant, than those with the inactive form of the gene. These enzymes act primarily in the liver to detoxify a large number of chemicals, including caffeine and prescription drugs.
It is also highly expressed in areas of the central nervous system, including the "substantia nigra", a structure located in the mid-brain.
Considerable variations exist in the efficiency and amount of this particular enzyme produced between individuals. Hence, for chemicals that are metabolized by CYP2D6 specific individuals will eliminate them quickly and others slowly.
Slow metabolizers are three times more likely to be chemically intolerant than the fast metabolizers. Likewise, women with the so-called rapid-acetylator form of NAT2, the gene that encodes an enzyme that functions to both activate drugs and carcinogens, were four times more likely to report chemical intolerances.
Because the metabolism of some chemicals can result in toxic by-products (metabolites), people with rapid metabolisms could be more quickly accumulating toxic compounds in the body. "It depends on the compound, what the metabolites are, and how quickly they're cleared from the body, as to whether having rapid metabolism results in more exposure or less exposure," McKeown-Eyssen says.
People who suffer from chemical intolerances, report wide-ranging symptoms such as headaches, short-term memory problems, confusion, fatigue, depression, irritability, and breathing difficulties. All mentioned symptoms and more are reported by affected aircrew and increasingly also by (frequent) flyers who have been exposed to a (acute) fume event.
It is essential to understand that a so-called ‚acute’ fume event, can trigger symptoms, that have lain dormant for a long time. Meaning that the toxic body burden has been building up until it could take no more. Especially aircrew would be prone to exhibit such “out of the blue” moderate to severe reactions “suddenly”. They often express surprise having been unaware that their bodies have been in-taking and storing small doses of toxic substances over a long period. They may have dismissed minor symptoms up to date. What occurs now is TILT = the loss of tolerance to toxicants - even to minute amounts.
The Toronto researchers found that individuals were likely to exhibit specific conditions in several different forms, in one or both of the two genes: CYP2D6 and NAT2. The latter two codes stand for enzymes that metabolize pharmaceutical chemicals that target the central nervous system, including antidepressants, neurotoxins and substances that become carcinogenic when metabolized and even the body's own neurotransmitters. NAT2 also plays a role in the metabolism of various drugs and toxic chemicals, including aromatic amines – a „simple aromatic amine“ is, i.e., benzene.
The researchers found an even stronger association in women who showed the rapid-metabolizing form of both CYP2D6 and NAT2. These women were 18 times more likely than control subjects to suffer from multiple chemical intolerances. McKeown-Eyssen PhD, is cautious about this finding: "We have to be really careful about that observation," she says. "But if it's true and can be replicated, it means that some people are at very high risk.”
Long term and lasting debilitating health problems as a result of chronic exposure to neurotoxic, fertility & DNA damaging and carcinogenic chemical substances, are increasing. Aerotoxic Syndrome, aviation’s occupational injury can result in chronic chemical sensitivity amongst other immune disorders and is being experienced by countless flight crew members. Aerotoxic Syndrome is legitimate and deserves to be appropriately acknowledged by physicians, by the aviation industry and most importantly the employers liability insurers.
Go to AKAEMIA
Books
- TOMB IN THE SKY - Aviation’s Wounded Canaries (2019)
- The Air I Breathe-It’s classified (2015)
- Höhenluft (German version 2016)
References cited:
- https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/eco.2017.0003
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1253786/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3697784/
- https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2e61/49fa7faa77ff59b7570077c8c10b3c3b17da.pdf
- https://oem.bmj.com/content/75/Suppl_2/A15.2
- https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/38823072_James_R_Nethercott
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080468846001160
UNFILTERED www.unfiltered.vip
©image: Aerotoxic Team Global Network
All Rights Reserved 2013- 2021
