Posts Tagged ‘HelpChineseDrywall.com’
Chinese Drywall Investigation in Florida
Defective drywall, believed to have been imported between 2005 and 2008 from Chinese manufacturers and used in the construction of tens-of-thousands of new homes in Florida, has many homeowners concerned about the effects the drywall may have on their health.
One of the components of the drywall is sulfur, and many experts believe that when combined with the high humidity levels, it emits a gas that smells like rotten eggs. In addition to the foul odors, air-conditioning related problems, and copper pipe corrosion has been reported, according to a recent report by MSNBC Fort Myers.
Both homeowners and home builders are the victims in this situation. It is currently unknown as to how many homes may have been constructed with the defective drywall, however the state attorney general has launched an investigation into the matter, at the request of the Florida Home Builders Association.
Jay Carlson, president of the Florida Home Builders Association, said, “any time homeowners start to question the safety of the products in their home, we have a serious problem that we need to address right away.”
Lennar and Taylor Morrison are two of the most notable home builders affected. Lennar filed a 105-page lawsuit earlier this month, and has worked with homeowners to have their defective drywall replaced with a suitable substitute.
Kristin Culliton, a Lakewood Ranch resident whose Taylor Morrison home was constructed with defective drywall manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd., filed a class-action lawsuit against the firm. Knauf Plasterboard has reportedly shipped millions of pounds of drywall to Florida since 2006, according to a recent article by the Herald-Tribune.
In an analysis conducted by the Herald-Tribune, of Chinese drywall shipping records, the amount of drywall imported to the United States was potentially enough to construct over 60,000 homes.
Florida Senator Bill Nelson has requested that the U.S. Consumer and Product Safety Commission investigate the Chinese drywall. If determined hazardous, further sales of the product could be halted.
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Source: http://www.newhomessection.com/blog/chinese-drywall-investigation-in-florida/2009/02/26/
Senators Seek Interim Ban on Chinese Drywall
By MELANIE TROTTMAN
Two U.S. Senators have filed a bill seeking a recall and temporary ban of certain Chinese-made drywall, the latest effort to address problems with Chinese-made drywall believed to be emitting unpleasant, sulfurous odors and causing unusual air-conditioner problems in homes from Florida to Louisiana.
Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) introduced the bill, which also asks the Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct a study in conjunction with the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Environmental Protection Agency. They want the study to include at least 10 samples of drywall that was imported from China during 2004 through 2007 and used in residential dwellings in the U.S. The study should include at least one sample of drywall from residences located in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia, according to the bill’s text. The bill is called the Drywall Safety Act of 2009.
Reports of problem drywall first surfaced in January in Florida, where Home builder Lennar Corp. is suing two Chinese manufacturers of drywall, claiming the wallboard is defective and is causing electrical problems and emitting rotten odors in dozens of homes in the state.
This month, the legal battle over the imported construction material spread to Louisiana, where a couple in a suburb filed a lawsuit against certain drywall manufacturers, alleging the wallboard in their house is emitting a “rotten egg” smell, causing respiratory problems and corroding electrical equipment.
The CPSC said in February it had begun an investigation of complaints about Chinese drywall, focusing on whether the sulfur-based gases emitted from the drywall are corroding household wiring and posing a potential safety hazard. At the time, the agency said it could order a halt in further sales of certain drywall products if it determines there’s a safety hazard.
On Monday, a spokesman for the CPSC said the agency doesn’t comment on proposed legislation, but he confirmed the agency’s investigation is continuing. Last week, the CPSC sent four additional staffers to Florida from its compliance, toxicology and electrical engineering departments in Washington, D.C. Those specialists joined field investigators in assessing homes in Florida and returned with samples to test, the spokesman said. The agency is determining what toxicology tests and protocols are needed next.
The CPSC has no safety standards for drywall, a construction material commonly used to build interior walls, and the agency has said it isn’t aware of other federal standards for the product. The bill asks the agency to determine whether a consumer-product-safety standard regulating the composition of materials used in drywall is necessary to protect the health and safety of residential homeowners.
Last week, Florida’s health department said preliminary tests show there’s no “specific” health hazard associated with the sulfur-based gases coming from the drywall, but the agency is conducting additional tests. The test results released by the state health department last week did make one, definitive conclusion: Chinese-made drywall contained strontium sulfide, a material that is known to have the odor of hydrogen sulfide in moist air, which can cause a rotten-egg odor. The U.S.-made drywall did not contain this material.
If it’s up to Sens. Nelson and Landrieu, affected homeowners will receive some relief. The lawmakers are asking the secretaries of Treasury and Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage relief and other assistance to affected homeowners, though they want the costs to be borne by makers of problematic materials and not U.S. taxpayers. Homeowners “are already suffering from depressed home values and negative economic conditions,” the lawmakers say in a resolution attached to the bill.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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Chinese drywall: What to look for
Could you have Chinese drywall?
- Does your home have a strong smell (a sulfur or rotten egg-type smell)
- Do you have corroded copper coils in your air conditioner or are the coils black?
- Do you have KNAUF written on the back of your drywall? Go to your attic and look at the back side of the drywall for Knauf. This is the manufacturer’s ID, which identifies it as the drywall in question.
- Chinese drywall is thinner and lighter than typical drywall
Additional information:
- This specific drywall is made of waste from coal-fired plants. The material that wouldn’t burn was recylced into the drywall instead of being taken to a landfill.
- AMRC, an environmental engineering and testing company, says the problem is mainly in communities, not single family residences built on their own, like in Cape Coral or Lehigh Acres.
- The drywall was used in 2004 and 2005 because there was a high demand for building materials at the time and this was available and cost-effective.
- Don’t waste money on lab testing. If you went over the checklist above and suspect you have Chinese drywall, call an environmental testing company to come out and verify it. It can be verified for legal purposes without lab tests.
- Health effects are unknown, there is not enough data on the actual chemical compounds to make a determination.
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Chinese drywall may be sulfur source
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 23, 2009
Residents in suburban Delray Beach’s upscale Vizcaya development are the latest to complain of problems stemming from Chinese drywall in their homes.
Citing air-conditioning coils that turn black and fail, tarnished jewelry and strange odors, a small group met with attorneys on Friday to discuss options
Chinese-made drywall is suspected as the cause of sulfuric gases corroding wires, pipes and home fixtures, all the while throwing off a bad smell.
On Monday, the Florida Department of Health, which is tracking Chinese drywall complaints statewide, released preliminary study findings confirming that Chinese drywall exposed to heat and moisture generates a sulfuric odor.
Conducted for the state by an Illinois firm, the study tested one sample of U.S.-made drywall, two samples marked as being from China, and one unmarked piece that had characteristics similar to the Chinese-made products.
The latter three samples registered higher levels of organic material and sulfuric compounds – particularly strontium sulfide – than the U.S. plasterboard. “There is a distinct difference in drywall that was manufactured in the United States and those that were manufactured in China,” the report concluded. In an especially troubling finding for Floridians, the study also found that, “It is clear that exposure to moisture accelerates the release of volatiles from the drywall.”
More testing is needed to determine whether the organic material and sulfur is the cause of the odors and corroded metals.
During a conference call Monday to discuss the findings, state toxicologist David Krause said that this study is only the first of many planned to determine what components are in the product, at what level, and whether they pose a health problem.
He said this first preliminary study does not show any “specific” health hazards because it only sought to determine what chemicals are in the drywall.
“It’s not that we are saying it’s safe,” Krause said during the conference call.
The next phase of testing will be to determine the rate of emission of the sulfuric gas to help calculate its indoor air concentration and whether it could exceed set safety standards.
Krause noted that the Florida Department of Health has been in contact with state departments of health in Louisiana, Alabama, North Carolina and Washington regarding reports from builders and homeowners of high sulfur drywall being found in homes in those areas.
At least two class-action lawsuits have been filed regarding Chinese drywall in homes outside of Florida – one in Louisiana and one in Alabama.
In Florida, the state Department of Health is tracking more than 150 complaints of Chinese drywall, roughly 30 in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
Coral Springs-based Centerline Homes, which built Vizcaya in 2001 and whose Promenade development in Port St. Lucie’s Tradition community was also recently found to have Chinese drywall, did not return repeated calls for comment.
Vizcaya resident Deborah Semrau says she hates days when she comes home and finds water on the floor.
“We’ve replaced 10 or 11 times the coil for the air conditioner,” she said. “But then I still come home and open the door to a warm house and water from the A/C on the floor.”
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Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/business/epaper/2009/03/23/a6b_drywallvizcaya_0324.html
Chinese drywall found in Port St. Lucie’s Tradition community
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
PORT ST. LUCIE — Only a few months ago, the term “Chinese drywall” was unknown to Michael Vega, who rents a condo in Port St. Lucie’s Tradition community with his wife.
He knew only that something was corroding wires and metal components in the house and emitting an odor that gave his wife headaches and congestion.
Since builder Centerline Homes brought in an independent analyst to test plasterboard, “Chinese drywall” has become a phrase that consumes Vega’s time and causes him to lose sleep at night.
Chinese-made drywall is suspected as the cause of sulfuric gases corroding wires, pipes and even air-conditioning components throughout Florida and across the country, all the while throwing off a sulfur-like smell.
Once thought to be contained to Southwest Florida, problems with Chinese-manufactured drywall were recently reported in Palm Beach County and along the Treasure Coast.
While Coral Springs-based Centerline Homes has declined comment, Vega said the company’s tests found the drywall in his condo was indeed plasterboard from China.
“Who knows what this drywall could be doing to us?” Vega asked. “If it affects metal, what can it do to flesh?”
Vega is not the only one in Tradition’s Promenade condo development who may have Chinese-made drywall in his home.
According to Promenade property manager Bert Kelly, some owners and renters in the 135-unit complex have complained about unusual and unpleasant odors and air-conditioning units that were not working. Centerline tested an unknown number of the houses for Chinese-manufactured drywall, he said.
Initially, experts dated the problem to 2006, when rebuilds from hurricane damage and a growing housing boom created a shortage of American-made plasterboard. That since has been revised to include houses that had drywall added between 2004 and early 2007.
Chinese drywall manufacturer Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. said it began receiving complaints in 2006. The company said it traced the odor to a gypsum mine and ceased using the mine that year.
Late last year, new tenants at a Promenade condo owned by Boca Raton resident Allison Grant began complaining of a terrible smell, causing her and her husband to investigate. They found tarnish on metal faucets, drains and shower heads.
“I had to act like a sleuth for myself so we could learn what the problem was,” Grant said.
She has found definitive proof that her home’s drywall was manufactured in China, she said.
The Florida Department of Health has documented 119 complaints about Chinese-made drywall in Florida. Of those, 17 were in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, including five homes on a single street in Stuart.
Preliminary studies have not concluded that the drywall creates immediate health concerns. Homeowners, however, have blamed it for allergy-like symptoms, including headaches, dry eyes, tightness in the chest and bloody noses.
The department is testing drywall to rule out health risks.
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Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/health/epaper/2009/03/04/a4b_drywall_0305_copy.html
Is Drywall the Next Chinese Import Scandal?
By TIM PADGETT / MIAMI Monday, Mar. 23, 2009
Soon after Danie Beck and her husband bought their two-story town house west of Miami in the summer of 2006, she thought an animal had died somewhere behind the walls. The strong sulfurous odor lingered, she says, and she began having dizzy spells that would keep her in bed for days. She began suffering from insomnia and sore, swollen joints. The house, too, appeared to be ailing: lights began blinking on and off, and Beck noticed discoloration of her wood furniture. The air conditioner, an indispensable appliance in South Florida, kept conking out. “It was an absolute nightmare,” the 67-year-old dance teacher says. “I felt as if something in this house was hammering me into the ground every day.”
It wasn’t until her repairman got fed up with fixing inexplicably corroded air-conditioner coils that Beck finally discovered what she and her home builder suspect is the source of the poltergeist: the Chinese drywall inside the house. Beck is among hundreds of homeowners in Florida alleging that toxic levels of chemical pollutants like sulfur are issuing from contaminated drywall made in some Chinese factories. At least four class actions have been filed in Florida; others have been filed in California, Louisiana and Alabama. (See pictures of China’s electronic-waste village.)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the complaints. If the drywall proves to be the culprit, plaintiffs’ attorneys say tens of thousands of potentially affected homes could see a further drop in prices already hammered by the credit crisis. “A lot of these people are just getting hit over the head a second time,” says David Durkee, a Miami attorney who has filed one of the suits. “This could have a further impact on the mortgage crisis by giving overwhelmed homeowners another incentive to just walk away from their houses.”
During the heady but reckless days of the recent U.S. housing-construction boom, builders were desperate for materials, and drywall was especially in demand. Before 2005, drywall imports to the U.S. from China were negligible; since 2006, more than 550 million lb. of it has been shipped here, mostly to Florida. The imports amount to a fraction of the 15 million tons of drywall produced domestically each year, but it was used to build more than 60,000 homes in at least a dozen states — including some post-Katrina reconstruction in Louisiana.
More than half the homes built with Chinese drywall are in Florida. Some of the suits there target construction companies; others include German drywall manufacturer Knauf and its Chinese subsidiaries — which are in turn being sued by at least one Florida home builder, Lennar Corp. Miami-based Lennar, which is also suing the U.S. suppliers from which it bought the Chinese drywall, has confronted the problem and initiated a program to do inspections and remove the offending wallboard in many homes, including Beck’s. (The process usually involves moving a family out of the house for at least six months to replace its interior.) Another lawsuit defendant, Engle Homes, based in Hollywood, Fla., has also admitted that the drywall problem exists in at least a small number of its homes. In a statement about houses near Fort Myers, Fla., that are part of Durkee’s suit, the company says, “Our initial findings tell us that that this seems to be an isolated incident that has affected a small number of Engle Homes in the Fort Myers, Fla., area and we are currently developing a plan to assist our affected homeowners.”
Drywall is made from gypsum, a soft mineral, that is pressed between thick paperboard. Plaintiffs’ attorneys say the allegedly toxic drywall material probably originated in at least one gypsum mine in China and possibly others. (A few years ago, Knauf and other drywall producers received complaints about a mine in Tianjin, China; Knauf says it stopped using the mine toward the end of 2006.) But Knauf denies that its product is toxic and argues it is not the only supplier of Chinese-made drywall to the U.S. Contacted by TIME, the company referred to a statement by its subsidiary, Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Ltd.: “Any low levels of sulfur compounds present in the air in homes are not a health risk … The substances identified in testing are in no greater amounts than [in] the air found outside homes or in soil, marshes or the oceans.”
The Florida Department of Health has not yet concluded its own tests of the drywall in question. But Beck and other homeowners insist the common symptoms suffered by the Chinese-drywalled houses and their occupants can’t be mere coincidence. The problem came to light last year as those homeowners began commiserating on the Internet about rotten-egg smells in their houses and rashes of nosebleeds and other ailments. At the same time, exasperated air-conditioner repairmen began complaining to builders about copper-coil corrosion in newly built houses. The air-conditioning companies concluded it was caused by high levels of airborne sulfur and moldy toxins. Wires in outlets, appliances and lamps were going bad too, as was wood. That in turn raised red flags for consumer-protection groups, already alarmed in recent years by the flood of defective Chinese-made products like toothpaste and toys.
Depending on how many homes ultimately prove to be contaminated, the repair costs — Beck says Lennar promised to tear her house down “to the studs” — could run into the tens of millions for builders. And that does not include the unspecified damages sought in the lawsuits. One problem plaintiffs face, however, is that many of the builders being sued have gone bankrupt in the recent housing bust. And even if homes are repaired, they may still carry the taint of having been drywall victims. Beck paid $344,000 for her town house; it is now worth $245,000 — less than the amount owed on her mortgage. And she worries that she may not be able to sell it at some point in the future even after Lennar fixes the drywall problem. “I’ll admit there are moments when I’m tempted to ask Lennar to just buy the house back,” says Beck, whose husband died last year of cancer. (His illness was not related to the drywall.)
Beck’s fortunes have taken a pummeling in recent years. She and her husband bought the town house after an arson fire destroyed the Miami home they had lived in for 39 years. And she has become accustomed to seeing its value jeopardized by the threat of hurricanes and by Wall Street malfeasance. But she wasn’t expecting any trouble from China.
Source: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1887059,00.html
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South Florida builders replacing tainted Chinese drywall
BY ALLISON ROSS
PALM BEACH POST
PORT ST. LUCIE – Builders of two housing developments in the Treasure Coast are tearing out interior walls in some homes as controversy builds over Chinese drywall.
The imported building material is suspected of throwing off noxious-smelling sulfur gases that corrode wires, pipes and even air-conditioning components.
Homeowners in Lennar’s Woodfield development in Port St. Lucie have received letters stating that they can temporarily move out of their homes while Lennar guts the walls and installs new drywall for free, homeowner Dolores Elvas said.
Elvas said she has talked to neighbors who accepted Lennar’s offer and are in the process of moving out, but said she wants to make sure some sort of clause is included that ensures Lennar helps pay for any potential health problems.
”You know, I’m scared. This is my retirement home and no one knows the ramifications of this,” Elvas said.
The Florida Department of Health is tracking Chinese drywall complaints. Private studies have found no links to illness.
Farther south, work to tear out tainted Chinese drywall has begun in a few townhomes in the Promenade portion of Port St. Lucie’s Tradition community.
On Friday, painters were at a townhome in the Centerline Homes development, putting finishing touches on drywall that had just been replaced this week, workers confirmed.
Centerline and Lennar did not return repeated calls for comment. Lennar has been one of the first home builders to step forward with information about Chinese drywall. It has hired an independent environmental consultant, filed suit against certain Chinese drywall manufacturers and distributors, and brought the issue to the attention of both the Florida Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Lennar also has agreed to replace drywall and repair a number of homes in Southwest Florida. The Woodfield development appears to be the first of Lennar’s communities on Florida’s east coast to receive a similar offer.
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/949172.html
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What is Hydrogen Sulfide?
Synonyms include dihydrogen sulfide, sulfur hydride, sulfurated hydrogen, hydrosulfuric acid, “sewer gas,” “swamp gas,” hepatic acid, sour gas, and “stink damp.”
- Persons exposed to hydrogen sulfide pose no serious risks of secondary contamination to personnel outside the Hot Zone. However, fatalities have occurred to rescuers entering the hot zone.
- Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly flammable and explosive gas produced naturally by decaying organic matter and by certain industrial processes. Hydrogen sulfide has a characteristic rotten-egg odor; however, olfactory fatigue may occur and consequently it may not provide adequate warning of hazardous concentrations.
- Hydrogen sulfide is well absorbed through the lungs; cutaneous absorption is minimal. Exposure by any route can cause systemic effects.
General Information
Description
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic gas. It is shipped as a liquefied, compressed gas. It has a characteristic rotten-egg odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.5 ppb.
Routes of Exposure
Inhalation
Inhalation is the major route of hydrogen sulfide exposure. The gas is rapidly absorbed by the lungs. The odor threshold (0.5 ppb) is much lower than the OSHA ceiling (20 ppm). However, although its strong odor is readily identified, olfactory fatigue occurs at high concentrations and at continuous low concentrations. For this reason, odor is not a reliable indicator of hydrogen sulfide’s presence and may not provide adequate warning of hazardous concentrations. Hydrogen sulfide is slightly heavier than air and may accumulate in enclosed, poorly ventilated, and low-lying areas.
Children exposed to the same levels of hydrogen sulfide as adults may receive larger doses because they have greater lung surface area:body weight ratios and increased minute volumes:weight ratios. In addition, they may be exposed to higher levels than adults in the same location because of their short stature and the higher levels of hydrogen sulfide found nearer to the ground. Children may be more vulnerable to corrosive agents than adults because of the relatively smaller diameter of their airways.
Skin/Eye Contact
Prolonged exposure to hydrogen sulfide, even at relatively low levels, may result in painful dermatitis and burning eyes. Direct contact with the liquefied gas can cause frostbite. Absorption through intact skin is minimal.
Ingestion
Because hydrogen sulfide is a gas at room temperature, ingestion is unlikely to occur.
Sources/Uses
Hydrogen sulfide is produced naturally by decaying organic matter and is released from sewage sludge, liquid manure, sulfur hot springs, and natural gas. It is a by-product of many industrial processes including petroleum refining, tanning, mining, wood- pulp processing, rayon manufacturing, sugar-beet processing, and hot-asphalt paving. Hydrogen sulfide is used to produce elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid, and heavy water for nuclear reactors.
Standards and Guidelines
OSHA ceiling = 20 ppm
OSHA maximum peak = 50 ppm (10 minutes, once, no other exposure)
NIOSH IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health) = 100 ppm
AIHA ERPC-2 (emergency response planning guideline) (maximum airborne concentration below which it is believed that nearly all individuals could be exposed for up to 1 hour without experiencing or developing irreversible or other serious health effects or symptoms which could impair an individual’s ability to take protective action) = 30 ppm.
Physical Properties
Description: Colorless gas with odor of rotten eggs
Warning properties: Not dependable; characteristic rotten-egg odor detectable at about 0.5 ppb, but olfactory nerve fatigue occurs in 2 to 15 minutes at concentrations over 100 ppm
Molecular weight: 34.1 daltons
Boiling point (760 mm Hg): -77ºF (-60.3ºC)
Vapor pressure: >760 mm Hg at 68ºF (20ºC)
Gas density: 1.2 (air = 1)
Water solubility: Slightly water soluble (0.4% at 68ºF [20ºC])
Flammability: Highly flammable and explosive between 4% and 45% (concentration in air); may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. Burns to produce a toxic gas, sulfur dioxide.
Incompatibilities
Hydrogen sulfide reacts with strong oxidizers, strong nitric acid, and metals.
Health Effects
- Hydrogen sulfide is a mucous membrane and respiratory tract irritant; pulmonary edema, which may be immediate or delayed, can occur after exposure to high concentrations.
- Symptoms of acute exposure include nausea, headaches, delirium, disturbed equilibrium, tremors, convulsions, and skin and eye irritation.
- Inhalation of high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can produce extremely rapid unconsciousness and death. Exposure to the liquified gas can cause frostbite injury.
Acute Exposure
Hydrogen sulfide’s can cause inhibition of the cytochrome oxidase enzyme system resulting in lack of oxygen use in the cells. Anaerobic metabolism causes accumulation of lactic acid leading to an acid-base imbalance. The nervous system and cardiac tissues are particularly vulnerable to the disruption of oxidative metabolism and death is often the result of respiratory arrest. Hydrogen sulfide also irritates skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and the respiratory tract. Pulmonary effects may not be apparent for up to 72 hours after exposure.
Children do not always respond to chemicals in the same way that adults do. Different protocols for managing their care may be needed.
CNS
CNS injury is immediate and significant after exposure to hydrogen sulfide. At high concentrations, only a few breaths can lead to immediate loss of consciousness, coma, respiratory paralysis, seizures, and death. CNS stimulation may precede CNS depression. Stimulation manifests as excitation, rapid breathing, and headache; depression manifests as impaired gait, dizziness, and coma, possibly progressing to respiratory paralysis and death. In addition, decreased ability to smell hydrogen sulfide occurs at concentrations greater than 100 ppm.
Respiratory
Inhaled hydrogen sulfide initially affects the nose and throat. Low concentrations (≤50 ppm) can rapidly produce irritation of the nose, throat, and lower respiratory tract. Pulmonary manifestations include cough, shortness of breath, and bronchial or lung hemorrhage. Higher concentrations can provoke bronchitis and cause accumulation of fluid in the lungs, which may be immediate or delayed for up to 72 hours. Lack of oxygen may result in blue skin color.
Children may be more vulnerable to corrosive agents than adults because of the relatively smaller diameter of their airways. Children may also be more vulnerable to gas exposure because of increased minute ventilation per kg and failure to evacuate an area promptly when exposed.
Cardiovascular
High-dose exposures may cause insufficient cardiac output, irregular heartbeat, and conduction abnormalities.
Renal
Transient renal effects include blood, casts, and protein in the urine. Renal failure as a direct result of hydrogen sulfide toxicity has not been described, although it may occur secondary to cardiovascular compromise.
Gastrointestinal
Symptoms may include nausea and vomiting.
Dermal
Prolonged or massive exposure may cause burning, itching, redness, and painful inflammation of the skin. Exposure to the liquified gas can cause frostbite injury.
Ocular
Eye irritation may result in inflammation (i.e., keratoconjunctivitis) and clouding of the eye surface. Symptoms include blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and spasmodic blinking or involuntary closing of the eyelid.
Potential Sequelae
Inflammation of the bronchi can be a late development. Survivors of severe exposure may develop psychological disturbances and permanent damage to the brain and heart. The cornea may be permanently scarred.
Chronic Exposure
Hydrogen sulfide does not accumulate in the body. Nevertheless, repeated or prolonged exposure has been reported to cause low blood pressure, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, ataxia, eye-membrane inflammation, and chronic cough. Neurologic symptoms, including psychological disorders, have been associated with chronic exposure. Chronic exposure may be more serious for children because of their potential longer latency period.
Carcinogenicity
Hydrogen sulfide has not been classified for carcinogenic effects.
Reproductive and Developmental Effects
There is some evidence to suggest that exposure to hydrogen Developmental Effects sulfide may be associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion. No information was located pertaining to placental transfer of hydrogen sulfide or to excretion of hydrogen sulfide in breast milk. There are no studies of developmental effects in humans exposed to hydrogen sulfide. However, results from animal studies suggest that hydrogen sulfide may be a developmental neurotoxicant. Hydrogen sulfide is not listed in TERIS or in Shepard’s Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. It is also not included in Reproductive and Developmental Toxicants, a 1991 report published by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) that lists 30 chemicals of concern because of widely acknowledged reproductive and developmental consequences.
Prehospital Management
- Victims exposed only to hydrogen sulfide gas do not pose substantial risks of secondary contamination to personnel outside the Hot Zone. However, personnel could be secondarily contaminated by contacting or breathing vapors from clothing heavily soaked with hydrogen sulfide-containing solution.
- Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic gas that can produce extremely rapid CNS and respiratory depression. It is also an irritant affecting skin and mucous membranes.
- There is no proven antidote for hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Treatment generally consists of support of respiratory and cardiovascular functions.
Hot Zone
Rescuers should be trained and appropriately attired before entering the Hot Zone. If the proper equipment is not available, or if prehospital staff have not been trained in its use, assistance should be obtained from a local or regional HAZMAT team or other properly equipped response organization.
Rescuer Protection
Hydrogen sulfide is an extremely rapidly acting, highly toxic gas. Fatalities have occurred to rescuers entering the hot zone.
Respiratory Protection: Positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is recommended in response situations that involve exposure to potentially unsafe levels of hydrogen sulfide.
Skin Protection: Chemical-protective clothing is not generally required because hydrogen sulfide gas is not absorbed through the skin, and skin irritation is rare. Direct contact with the liquefied gas can cause frostbite.
Rescuers should have a safety line during rescue operations because of the extremely rapid toxic action of hydrogen sulfide.
ABC Reminders
Quickly access for a patent airway, ensure adequate respiration and pulse. If trauma is suspected, maintain cervical immobilization manually and apply a cervical collar and a backboard when feasible.
Victim Removal
If victims can walk, lead them out of the Hot Zone to the Decontamination Zone. Victims who are unable to walk may be removed on backboards or gurneys; if these are not available, carefully carry or drag victims to safety.
Consider appropriate management of chemically contaminated children, such as measures to reduce separation anxiety if a child is separated from a parent or other adult.
Decontamination Zone
Patients exposed only to hydrogen sulfide gas who have no skin or eye irritation do not need decontamination. They may be transferred immediately to the Support Zone. Other patients will require decontamination as described below.
Rescuer Protection
If exposure levels are determined to be safe, decontamination may be conducted by personnel wearing a lower level of protection than that worn in the Hot Zone (described above).
ABC Reminders
Quickly access for a patent airway, ensure adequate respiration and pulse. Stabilize the cervical spine with a collar and a backboard if trauma is suspected. Administer supplemental oxygen as required. Assist ventilation with a bag-valve-mask device if necessary.
Basic Decontamination
Victims who are able may assist with their own decontamination. Remove and double-bag contaminated clothing.
Handle frostbitten skin and eyes with caution. Wrap the affected part gently in blankets. Let the circulation reestablish itself naturally. Encourage the victim to exercise the affected part while it is being warmed.
Flush exposed skin and hair with water for 3 to 5 minutes. Use caution to avoid hypothermia when decontaminating children or the elderly. Use blankets or warmers when appropriate.
Do not irrigate frostbitten eyes. Otherwise, irrigate exposed or irritated eyes with plain water or saline for at least 5 minutes. Eye irrigation may be carried out simultaneously with other basic care and transport. Remove contact lenses if easily removable without additional trauma to the eye. If a corrosive material is suspected or if pain or injury is evident, continue irrigation while transferring the victim to the support zone.
Consider appropriate management of chemically contaminated children, such as measures to reduce separation anxiety if a child is separated from a parent or other adult. If possible, seek assistance from a child separation expert.
Transfer to Support Zone
As soon as basic decontamination is complete, move the victim to the Support Zone.
Support Zone
Be certain that victims have been properly decontaminated (seeDecontamination Zone above). Victims who have undergone decontamination or who have been exposed only to hydrogen sulfide gas pose no serious risks of secondary contamination. In such cases, Support Zone personnel require no specialized protective gear.
ABC Reminders
Quickly access for a patent airway. If trauma is suspected, maintain cervical immobilization manually and apply a cervical collar and a backboard when feasible. Ensure adequate respiration and pulse. Administer supplemental oxygen as required and establish intravenous access if necessary. Place on a cardiac monitor.
Additional Decontamination
Continue irrigating exposed skin and eyes, as appropriate.
Advanced Treatment
In cases of respiratory compromise secure airway and respiration via endotracheal intubation. If not possible, perform cricothyroidotomy if equipped and trained to do so.
Treat patients who have bronchospasm with aerosolized bronchodilators. The use of bronchial sensitizing agents in situations of multiple chemical exposures may pose additional risks. Consider the health of the myocardium before choosing which type of bronchodilator should be administered. Cardiac sensitizing agents may be appropriate; however, the use of cardiac sensitizing agents after exposure to certain chemicals may pose enhanced risk of cardiac arrhythmias (especially in the elderly). Hydrogen sulfide poisoning is not known to pose additional risk during the use of bronchial or cardiac sensitizing agents.
Consider racemic epinephrine aerosol for children who develop stridor. Dose 0.25-0.75 mL of 2.25% racemic epinephrine solution in 2.5 cc water, repeat every 20 minutes as needed, cautioning for myocardial variability.
Patients who are comatose, hypotensive, or are having seizures or cardiac arrhythmias should be treated according to advanced life support (ALS) protocols.
If frostbite is present, treat by rewarming in a water bath at a temperature of 102 to 108ºF (40 to 42ºC) for 20 to 30 minutes and continue until a flush has returned to the affected area.
Nitrite therapy (found in the cyanide antidote kit) has been suggested as a therapy for hydrogen sulfide exposure. Amyl nitrite is given by inhalation (for 30 seconds every minute until an intravenous line is established) followed by intravenous sodium nitrite (300 mg over absolutely no less than 5 minutes). This may aid recovery by forming sulfmethemoglobin, thus removing sulfide from combination in tissue. It is not necessary to use the sodium thiosulfate component of the cyanide antidote kit. The antidotal efficacy of nitrite therapy is controversial, but is currently recommended if it can be started shortly after exposure. However, there is only anecdotal evidence that nitrite therapy is effective, and victims of hydrogen sulfide poisoning have survived without sequelae after supportive care alone. The usefulness of nitrite therapy given beyond the first few minutes after exposure is questionable. Nitrite therapy should not be allowed to interfere with the establishment of adequate ventilation and oxygenation.
Transport to Medical Facility
Only decontaminated patients or patients not requiring decontamination should be transported to a medical facility. “Body bags” are not recommended.
Report to the base station and the receiving medical facility the condition of the patient, treatment given, and estimated time of arrival at the medical facility.
Multi-Casualty Triage
Consult with the base station physician or regional poison control center for further advice regarding triage of multiple victims.Patients with evidence of significant exposure (e.g., breathing difficulties, unconsciousness, seizures, or collapse) should be transported to a medical facility for evaluation. Patients who have minor or transient irritation of the eyes or throat may be discharged from the scene after their names, addresses, and telephone numbers are recorded. They should be advised to seek medical care promptly if symptoms develop or recur (see Patient Information Sheet below).
Emergency Department Management
- Hospital personnel away from the scene are not at risk of secondary contamination from patients exposed only to hydrogen sulfide gas; however, personnel can be secondarily contaminated by contacting or breathing vapors from clothing heavily soaked with hydrogen sulfide-containing solution.
- Hydrogen sulfide is a very rapidly acting, highly toxic gas that can produce rapid CNS and respiratory depression. It is also an irritant affecting skin and mucous membranes.
- There is no proven antidote for hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Treatment generally consists of support of respiratory and cardiovascular functions.
Decontamination Area
Patients who have been decontaminated previously and patients exposed only to hydrogen sulfide gas who have no skin or eye irritation may be transferred immediately to the Critical Care Area. Other patients require decontamination as described below.
Be aware that use of protective equipment by the provider may cause fear in children, resulting in decreased compliance with further management efforts.
ABC Reminders
Evaluate and support airway, breathing, and circulation. Children may be more vulnerable to corrosive agents than adults because of the smaller diameter of their airways. In cases of respiratory compromise secure airway and respiration via endotracheal intubation. If not possible, surgically create an airway.
Treat patients who have bronchospasm with aerosolized bronchodilators. The use of bronchial sensitizing agents in situations of multiple chemical exposures may pose additional risks. Consider the health of the myocardium before choosing which type of bronchodilator should be administered. Cardiac sensitizing agents may be appropriate; however, the use of cardiac sensitizing agents after exposure to certain chemicals may pose enhanced risk of cardiac arrhythmias (especially in the elderly). Hydrogen sulfide poisoning is not known to pose additional risk during the use of bronchial or cardiac sensitizing agents.
Consider racemic epinephrine aerosol for children who develop stridor. Dose 0.25-0.75 mL of 2.25% racemic epinephrine solution in 2.5 cc water, repeat every 20 minutes as needed, cautioning for myocardial variability.
Patients who are comatose, hypotensive, or have seizures or ventricular arrhythmias should be treated in the conventional manner.
Nitrite therapy (found in the cyanide antidote kit) has been suggested as a therapy for hydrogen sulfide exposure. Amyl nitrite is given by inhalation (for 30 seconds every minute until an intravenous line is established) followed by intravenous sodium nitrite (300 mg over absolutely no less than 5 minutes). This may aid recovery by forming sulfmethemoglobin, thus removing sulfide from combination in tissue. It is not necessary to use the sodium thiosulfate component of the cyanide antidote kit. The antidotal efficacy of nitrite therapy is controversial, but is currently recommended if it can be started shortly after exposure. The usefulness of nitrite therapy given beyond the first few minutes after exposure is questionable. There is only anecdotal evidence that nitrite therapy is effective, and victims of hydrogen sulfide poisoning have survived without sequelae after supportive care alone. Nitrite therapy should not be allowed to interfere with the establishment of adequate ventilation and oxygenation.
Basic Decontamination
Patients who are able may assist with their own decontamination. Remove and double-bag contaminated clothing and personal belongings,
Handle frostbitten skin and eyes with caution. Place frostbitten skin in warm water, about 108ºF (42ºC). Let the circulation reestablish itself naturally. Encourage the victim to exercise the affected part while it is being warmed.
Flush exposed skin and hair with plain water for 5 minutes, preferably under a shower. Use caution to avoid hypothermia when decontaminating children or the elderly. Use blankets or warmers when appropriate.
Do not irrigate frostbitten eyes. Otherwise, irrigate exposed eyes for at least 5 minutes. Remove contact lenses if easily removable without additional trauma to the eye. An ophthalmic anesthetic may be necessary to alleviate blepharospasm, and lid retractors may be required to allow adequate irrigation under the eyelids. Continue irrigation while transporting the patient to the Critical Care Area.
Critical Care Area
Be certain that appropriate decontamination has been carried out (see Decontamination Area above).
ABC Reminders
Evaluate and support airway, breathing, and circulation as in ABC Reminders above. Children may be more vulnerable to corrosive agents than adults because of the smaller diameter of their airways. Establish intravenous access in seriously symptomatic patients. Continuously monitor cardiac rhythm.
Patients who are comatose, hypotensive, or have seizures or cardiac arrhythmias should be treated in the conventional manner.
Inhalation Exposure
Administer supplemental oxygen by mask to patients who have respiratory symptoms. Treat patients who have bronchospasm with aerosolized bronchodilators. The use of bronchial sensitizing agents in situations of multiple chemical exposures may pose additional risks. Consider the health of the myocardium before choosing which type of bronchodilator should be administered. Cardiac sensitizing agents may be appropriate; however, the use of cardiac sensitizing agents after exposure to certain chemicals may pose enhanced risk of cardiac arrhythmias (especially in the elderly). Hydrogen sulfide poisoning is not known to pose additional risk during the use of bronchial or cardiac sensitizing agents.
Consider racemic epinephrine aerosol for children who develop stridor. Dose 0.25-0.75 mL of 2.25% racemic epinephrine solution in 2.5 cc water, repeat every 20 minutes as needed, cautioning for myocardial variability.
Observe patients for 24 hours, repeating appropriate tests and chest examinations as needed. Follow-up as clinically indicated.
Skin Exposure
If concentrated hydrogen sulfide was in contact with the skin, chemical burns may result; treat as thermal burns. If the liquefied compressed gas is released and contacts the skin, frostbite may result. If a victim has frostbite, treat by rewarming affected areas in a water bath at a temperature of 102 to 108ºF (40 to 42ºC) for 20 to 30 minutes and continue until a flush has returned to the affected area.
Eye Exposure
Continue irrigation for at least 5 minutes. Test visual acuity. Examine the eyes for corneal damage and treat appropriately. Immediately consult an ophthalmologist for patients who have severe corneal injuries.
Antidotes and Other Treatments
Nitrite therapy (found in the cyanide antidote kit) has been Other Treatments suggested as a therapy for hydrogen sulfide exposure. Amyl nitrite is given by inhalation (for 30 seconds every minute until an intravenous line is established) followed by intravenous sodium nitrite (300 mg over absolutely no less than 5 minutes). This may aid recovery by forming sulfmethemoglobin, thus removing sulfide from combination in tissue. It is not necessary to use the sodium thiosulfate component of the cyanide antidote kit. The antidotal efficacy of nitrite therapy is controversial, but is currently recommended if it can be started shortly after exposure. The usefulness of nitrite therapy given beyond the first few minutes after exposure is questionable. There is only anecdotal evidence that nitrite therapy is effective, and victims of hydrogen sulfide poisoning have survived without sequelae after supportive care alone. Nitrite therapy should not be allowed to interfere with the establishment of adequate ventilation and oxygenation.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is controversial and based on anecdotal evidence. It may be effective for patients with persistent coma in whom other treatments are unsuccessful.
Laboratory Tests
Routine laboratory studies for all symptomatic exposed patients include CBC, blood glucose, and electrolyte determinations. Additional studies for patients exposed to hydrogen sulfide include ECG monitoring and renal-function tests. Chest radiography and pulse oximetry (or ABG measurements) may be helpful in cases of inhalation exposure. If nitrites are used, check methemoglobin levels.
Disposition and Follow-up
Consider hospitalizing patients who have evidence of systemic toxicity from any route of exposure.
Delayed Effects
Patients who are unconscious or hypotensive should be observed closely for complications including post-hypoxic encephalopathy. Because pulmonary edema may be delayed in onset, patients seriously exposed by inhalation should be monitored for 24 hours. If pulmonary edema is suspected, admit patients to an intensive care unit.
Patient Release
Asymptomatic patients who have no evidence of pulmonary edema or CNS or respiratory compromise and no signs of eye irritation may be discharged after 4 to 6 hours of observation with instructions to seek medical care promptly if symptoms develop (see the Hydrogen Sulfide-Patient Information Sheet below).
Follow-up
Obtain the name of the patient’s primary care physician so that the hospital can send a copy of the ED visit to the patient’s doctor.
Patients exposed to hydrogen sulfide should be monitored for heart and brain injuries, including evaluation for neurologic deficits.
Patients who have skin or corneal injury should be re-examined within 24 hours.
Reporting
If a work-related incident has occurred, you may be legally required to file a report; contact your state or local health department.
Other persons may still be at risk in the setting where this incident occurred. If the incident occurred in the workplace, discussing it with company personnel may prevent future incidents. If a public health risk exists, notify your state or local health department or other responsible public agency. When appropriate, inform patients that they may request an evaluation of their workplace from OSHA or NIOSH. See Appendices III and IV for a list of agencies that may be of assistance.
Patient Information Sheet
This handout provides information and follow-up instructions for persons who have been exposed to hydrogen sulfide.
What is hydrogen sulfide?Hydrogen sulfide is an extremely rapidly acting, highly toxic, colorless gas with a rotten-egg odor. It is produced naturally by decaying organic matter and is released from sewage sludge, liquid manure, sulfur hot springs, and natural gas. It is used in several industries and is a by-product of many industrial processes such as oil refining, mining, and rayon manufacturing.
What immediate health effects can be caused by exposure to hydrogen sulfide?Even in small amounts, hydrogen sulfide has a strong rotten-egg odor. However, with continued exposure and at high levels, the poison may deaden a person’s sense of smell. If the rotten egg odor is no longer noticeable, it may not necessarily mean that exposure has stopped.
After a serious exposure, symptoms usually begin immediately. At low levels, hydrogen sulfide causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. Moderate levels can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, as well as coughing and difficulty in breathing. Higher levels can cause shock, convulsions, coma, and death. Generally, the more serious the exposure, the more severe the symptoms.
Can hydrogen sulfide poisoning be treated?There is no proven antidote for hydrogen sulfide poisoning, but the effects of hydrogen sulfide can be treated and some exposed persons get well. Persons who have had serious exposures may need to be hospitalized.
Are any future health effects likely to occur?A single small exposure from which a person recovers quickly is not likely to cause delayed or long-term effects. Moderate exposure can cause residual damage and a serious exposure that causes coma or convulsions may damage the brain and heart.
What tests can be done if a person has been exposed to hydrogen sulfide?Specific tests for the presence of hydrogen sulfide in blood and urine generally are not useful to the doctor. If a severe exposure has occurred, blood and urine analyses and other tests may show whether the brain, nerves, heart, or kidneys have been injured. If hydrogen sulfide was inhaled, blood tests and a chest x-ray may be necessary to determine if the lungs have been injured. Testing is not needed in every case.
Where can more information about hydrogen sulfide be found?More information about hydrogen sulfide can be obtained from your regional poison control center; your state, county, or local health department; the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR); your doctor; or a clinic in your area that specializes in occupational and environmental health. If the exposure happened at work, you may wish to discuss it with your employer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Ask the person who gave you this form for help in locating these telephone numbers.
Keep this page and take it with you to your next appointment. Followonly the instructions checked below.
[ ] Call your doctor or the Emergency Department if you develop any unusual signs or symptoms within the next 24 hours, especially:
- coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath
- chest pain or tightness
- stomach pain, or vomiting
- headache
- increased redness or pain or a pus-like discharge in the area of a skin burn
[ ] No follow-up appointment is necessary unless you develop any of the symptoms listed above.
[ ] Call for an appointment with Dr.____ in the practice of ________.
When you call for your appointment, please say that you were treated in the Emergency Department at _________ Hospital by________and were advised to be seen again in ____days.
[ ] Return to the Emergency Department/Clinic on ____ (date) at _____ AM/PM for a follow-up examination.
[ ] Do not perform vigorous physical activities for 1 to 2 days.
[ ] You may resume everyday activities including driving and operating machinery.
[ ] Do not return to work for _____days.
[ ] You may return to work on a limited basis. See instructions below.
[ ] Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke for 72 hours; smoke may worsen the condition of your lungs.
[ ] Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours; alcohol may worsen injury to your stomach or have other effects.
[ ] Avoid taking the following medications: ________________
[ ] You may continue taking the following medication(s) that your doctor(s) prescribed for you: _______________________________
[ ] Other instructions: ____________________________________ _____________________________________________________
- Provide the Emergency Department with the name and the number of your primary care physician so that the ED can send him or her a record of your emergency department visit.
- You or your physician can get more information on the chemical by contacting: ____________ or _____________, or by checking out the following Internet Web sites: ___________;__________.
Signature of patient _______________ Date ____________
Signature of physician _____________ Date ____________
Where can I get more information?
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize, evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances. You can also contact your community or state health or environmental quality department if you have any more questions or concerns.
For more information, contact:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO • 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.govSource:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mhmi/mmg114.html
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