Air control

摘要

Today's cabin air contamination controversy and yesterday's asbestos have a lot in common. This includes a rising tide of concern about health effects, vigorous denial by an industry too big to fail and official studies designed to reassure. Two studies looking at the nature, levels and effects of contamination in cabin and flight deck air were published earlier this year~(1,2). Both were commissioned by the European Aviation Safety Agency. One looks at the health effects of the components and pyrolysis products of jet engine oil, and the other reports on a monitoring exercise to characterise and measure the whole range of airborne contamination in the cabins and flight decks of modern airliners. It reported low levels of contamination and appeared sceptical that there was actually a problem. On the other hand, a third study~3 published in June, concluded that there was a strong link between symptoms reported by employees who say they have been exposed to contaminated cabin and flight deck air and the known hazards of jet oil ingredients.