The Airliner Cabin Environment Air Quality and Safety (1986) / Chapter Skim
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7 Desirability and Feasibility of Additional Data Collection
7 Desirability and Feasibility of Additional Data Collection
Pages 214-224
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From page 214... ...
Data are lacking because adequate studies have not been performed. Several previous chapters have addressed the information relevant to the assessment of potential health risks associated with airliner cabin air: Chapter 2 described the systems for controlling cabin air, Chapter 5 described contaminants and special conditions of cabin air and the health effects usually associated with them, and Chapter 6 reviewed available evidence on the manifestation of health effects in crew or passengers.
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From page 215... ...
Furthermore, because it is difficult to detect and measure such effects, it is generally necessary to rely on measures that indicate or are related to the health effects of concern. The collection of data must be discussed with respect to four interrelated issues: potential causes of diminution in air quality, potential health effects of diminished air quality, actual examples of such effects, and surrogate measures of the effects where direct measurement is not possible.
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From page 216... ...
The Committee suggests that consideration be given to adapting this data collection system to include collection of data relevant to the assessment of cabin air quality. The potential health effects of cabin air considered by the Committee to be of greatest concern are reproductive effects, chronic pulmonary disease, chronic heart disease, cancer (including leukemia)
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From page 217... ...
Despite these difficulties, the Committee concludes that appropriate data collection is not only possible, but highly desirable. The following sections describe the Committee's recommendations for research on airliner cabin air quality, the health effects of exposure to the cabin environment, and other topics.
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From page 218... ...
The Committee strongly recommends that, so long as smoking is permitted in airplanes, the Congress mandate a program to monitor onboard carbon monoxide and respirable suspended particles. The Committee believes that, except for emergency situations involving fire, the most pervasive threat to airliner cabin air quality
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From page 219... ...
In view of the degree of expressed concern about microbial contamination in aircraft and the possibility that serious acute health effects could result from such contamination, it is important to collect baseline data on background concentrations of microbial aerosols during normal flight conditions. It is also important to collect data on microbial aerosols in aircraft with known emission sources and under conditions of decreased ventilation.
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From page 220... ...
The Committee attempted to identify measures for each of the health effects of concern: reproductive effects, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart disease, cancer, and infectious disease. However, direct measurement of these health effects is often not possible; therefore, collection of data on a series of suggestive measures is recommended.
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From page 221... ...
The Committee recommends studies to examine rates of spontaneous abortion and birth defects among cabin crew members. Cabin crew members are subject to longer exposure than the flying public in general, and in examining reproductive effects it is not necessary to wait many years for chronic effects to emerge.
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From page 222... ...
Flight attendants have consistently reported respiratory effects, probably because their activity is greater than that of passengers. Studies in which subjects are exposed to ozone and carbon monoxide clearly indicate that the combination of exposure and increased exercise results in increased effects on cardiopulmonary function The Committee feels that data concerning effects on pulmonary function would be vital in evaluating the health effects of airliner cabin air and recommends that appropriate before-and-after testing be undertaken.
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From page 223... ...
The Committee also feels that it would be advisable to monitor scientific literature relevant to various aspects of airliner cabin air quality or its health effects. Available computer-based bibliographic databases, such an MEDLINE, could be easily and inexpensively searched regularly to identify new scientific developments relevant to the topics addressed in this report.
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