RE: Petroleum Oil Fumes in Apt

[Guest guest]

How about Ediboro, PA just south of Erie?a

Hi All, I am severely MCS from pesticide poisoning and have been moving around in hopes of finding a decent living space. Unfortunately, they all have had such an array of toxic garbage in them (all confirmed by toxicological testing), that I despair of ever finding a safe place to live before I become totally incapacitated.I am currently in a two family house in NY and have been choking on oil fumes. I tested the place and my new air purifier filters were analyzed at a lab. They found total petroleum hydrocarbons in the amount of 27,260 mg/kg (detection limit, 10). The filters had been run for three days, 24/7 prior to submitting them for analysis of air pollutants.Does anyone have any input on the levels obtained or the sequelea?The owner will eventually replace the system..he installed it himself which clues me into his goals. I am trying to find a place to move to in case anyone knows of a decent house or apt. rental in NY, CT or Mass. Barbara RubinRaisyl@...FAIR USE NOTICE:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

[Guest guest]

>

> How about Ediboro, PA just south of Erie?

Hi a,

For the severely pesticide sensitive, in this day and age of municipal spraying

for WNV and the incredible amounts of drift from pesticide/herbicide use in

states with heavy agricultural emphasis like Pa, I am staying away from moving

south and intent upon heading north into New England. While unsafe housing can

exist anywhere, the surroundings have a heavy impact on health too. New England

has many states that refuse to spray for WNV and the rocky, hilly terrain means

many large, uncultivated areas. Cold winters mean less spraying of indoor

settings as well and less termaticiding.

Barbara Rubin

[Guest guest]

The term 27,260 mg/kg means 27,260 mg (or 27.26 grams) per 1000 grams, or

2.7% of whatever was sampled is hydrocarbon. Without knowing the total

sample size, the total amount of hydrocarbons captured cannot be calculated.

But what is the size of the sample. Is this a piece of the filter?

Did the filter have an oil treatment to better catch particulates? Was an

unused section of new filter sent for comparitive analysis? The level you

report seems rather high for such a short time. Was this material fully

characterized in a competent lab, using gas chromatography with infrared or

mass spectral analysis, or simply characterized by visual characteristics?

Did you burn candles or fry foods nearby? How about a kerosene heater? Is

the house heated with fuel oil? If this material is from heating oil, you'd

better have a carbon monoxide detector, since oil in the living space

originates from the furnace fire box, meaning all fumes are entering the

living space with those hydrocarbons. Carbon monoxide can be far more deadly

than petroleum fumes. Recent unexplained headaches and fatigue worse than

usual may be signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Such a home is unfit for

habitation. Get out.

Natural gas and propane exhausts entering the home are also causes for

concern, and again a carbon monoxide detector is warranted, but these fuels

would leave little or no residue on your filter.

Is there some outside source of pollution? Many large trucks driving by

just outside your home may release enough unburned diesel fuel to account

for this problem. If that's the case, move.

Gil

Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 02:16:47 -0000

From: " Barbara Rubin " <agasaya@...>

Subject: Petroleum Oil Fumes in Apt

Hi All,

I am severely MCS from pesticide poisoning and have been moving around in

hopes of finding a decent living space. Unfortunately, they all have had

such an array of toxic garbage in them (all confirmed by toxicological

testing), that I despair of ever finding a safe place to live before I

become totally incapacitated.

I am currently in a two family house in NY and have been choking on oil

fumes. I tested the place and my new air purifier filters were analyzed at a

lab. They found total petroleum hydrocarbons in the amount of 27,260 mg/kg

(detection limit, 10). The filters had been run for three days, 24/7 prior

to submitting them for analysis of air pollutants.

Does anyone have any input on the levels obtained or the sequelea?

The owner will eventually replace the system..he installed it himself which

clues me into his goals. I am trying to find a place to move to in case

anyone knows of a decent house or apt. rental in NY, CT or Mass.

Barbara Rubin

Raisyl@...

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