Dangerous Chemical Tricresyl Phosphate Aboard Aircraft
Bleed air technology found in most common commercial transport jet aircraft is becoming a growing target for criticism. Recently, a story was unveiled by writer, Chris Ingalls from King 5 News who described a three year study being conducted by Dr. Clement Furlong from the University of Washington genetics lab that is testing the cabin air quality of common aircraft jet liners. Furlong is trying to prove that jet engine fumes can cause passengers and flight crews to become poisoned by exposure to a chemical found in jet engine oil called tricresyl phosphate, or TCP for short.
Bleed air technology is the process of taking compressed air created from a turbine engine and using it for multiple purposes on an airplane. Some of the most common uses of bleed air include de-icing, pneumatics and pressurizing the cabin. High air temperature and high air pressure are the two main elements that make bleed air so useful.
Dr. Clement Furlong is in the final stages of developing a method that will test for TCP in human protein and in the blood of sickened flight crew and passengers. Whether Furlong and his team can conclude and link TCP to these mysterious airline sicknesses, many aircraft manufactures are moving on with newer developments as can be seen in release titled, Boeing’s 787 No-Bleed Systems, written by Mike Sinnett, Director of the 787 Systems.
According to Boeing and based off the 6 page document written by Mike Sinnett, recent advances in technology have allowed the Boeing company to incorporate no-bleed systems into their latest model jet airliner, the Boeing 787. In this document it is explained that using this newer no-bleed system helps increase fuel efficiency, reduces maintenance costs, improves reliability and expands range. Addressing the speculated potential health concerns regarding the older bleed air technology systems was not mentioned.
What do you think? Do you think these mysterious illnesses that keep occurring mainly in flight attendants and pilots are linked up to tricresyl phosphate poisoning? If so, do you think oil leaking into the engine is to blame? Drop a comment using the comment form and speak your mind.
