antifoul toxic dust

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What are the clinical effects of ingesting?

Following on from the tread about removing antifoul, which I did not want to hijack, does anyone know what the clinical symptoms and effects are of ingesting toxic antifoul dust?

Only ask as I removed the antifoul from my boat 12 months ago, by scraper - I used a good mask, but don't doubt I managed to inhale / swallow some dust.

2 weeks ago I had an "event" that was severe enough for SWMBO to call an Ambulance. Not going to say what it was as I don't want to put ideas into peoples heads.

Since then I have been trying to find out, before I see a Consultant next week, if there has been anything I have done in the past that could have caused my episode.

The upshot is at the moment I am prohibited from driving .......which is a bit of a booger!

Cheers
rob
 
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No idea sorry - hope things work out ok for you though.

The silver lining is even if they stop you from driving your car they cant stop you from taking the helm !

May the sun be on your face, the road rise up before you and the wind be at your back... (not a raggie saying!)
 
Antifouls used to be toxic , but I dont think they are now, but some owners add all sorts of cocktails to the mix, they used to contain a nerve gas derivative (as weed killers used to and some still do).

It is accumulative in that once you inhale weed killer it is in you for life.

If you have used a lot of weed killers/pesticides from farm spraying in an earlier life and then inhaled some toxic antifoul dust then it is remotely possible for the antifoul dust to have tipped you over the edge .

White fingers with no touch sensation, the shakes, look it up but I dont think it is very likely, how old was the antifoul you removed , was it off an old barge that hadnt been done for 20 years ?

I expect it could set asthma off but only guessing ?

Did you paint the AF back on ?

There are a few isolated incidents of problems if AF fumes have been inhaled during calm still days.

I DIY antifouled a 35ft boat, and it was calm still sunny day with little wind.
Af paint fumes are heavier than air and sink to the floor just where I was laid , after a few hours the fumes overwhelmed me to disorientate I was staggering backwards toward a cliff, SWMBO quickly put herself behind in order to block the cliff but despite my hands being outstretched toward the boat's grab rail the cliff just kept getting closer now pushing both of us dangerously close to the edge, SWMBO knocked me to the floor for safety and called an ambulance.
Apparently high on fumes my core body temp had dropped to 32'
In resuscitation they administered oxygen, hot drips and a blown hot air Bear Hugger bag , I suffered a hang over from hell and was discharged the following day non the worse except I was in Guernsey a foreigner and the Ambulance and hospital fees cost a lot more than the £300 it would have cost for a professional painter.
If you antifoul your own boat be particularly careful around the tunnels which seamed to be the area worked on last and take regular breaks particularly on still days.
I was given a full health MOT which I passed but an occasional dizzy spell continued for several months afterwards (a bit like having temporary vertigo, but could have been flash backs to seeing the cliff heading towards me)
 
:(:(:(

re removing Antifoul by Sanding

Yes there are serious problems with using a Sander and creating Dust

I know someone who, although quite young, developed severe Breathing Problems after a few weeks spent Sanding down to the GRP gelcoat, his wife called an Ambulance on two occasions as he was in great distress

after being advised (**??!!) to not do any more sanding down he eventualy showed signs of recovery, but it was a long journey back to health, and the effects on the breathing diminished

do not know what, if any, long term effects will be

the Antifoul was aged stock, been on Boat (35ft) a long time and various coats applied

caution is strongly advised !

do you really need to go back to the GRP ?
 
Capt Popeye said:
:(:(:(

re removing Antifoul by Sanding

Yes there are serious problems with using a Sander and creating Dust

I know someone who, although quite young, developed severe Breathing Problems after a few weeks spent Sanding down to the GRP gelcoat, his wife called an Ambulance on two occasions as he was in great distress

after being advised (**??!!) to not do any more sanding down he eventualy showed signs of recovery, but it was a long journey back to health, and the effects on the breathing diminished

do not know what, if any, long term effects will be

the Antifoul was aged stock, been on Boat (35ft) a long time and various coats applied

caution is strongly advised !

do you really need to go back to the GRP ?
Click to expand...


It does eventually become necessary to remove all the old antifouling. I should have done mine some years ago because now it is flaking.
I think I have scraped of the loose stuff but more loosens up as soon a I start to put on the fresh a/f then its a case of mixing the flaky bits up with the fresh a/f and sticking it all down together. The end result is a mess!

However the OP did say he removed the old a/f by scraping.
Hopefully he has not in fact inhaled any significant quantity of dust. He does not mention any immediate symptoms of dust inhalation so my guess would be that his recent problems are not related to the a/f removal.
 
robmchugh said:
What are the clinical effects of ingesting?

Following on from the tread about removing antifoul, which I did not want to hijack, does anyone know what the clinical symptoms and effects are of ingesting toxic antifoul dust?

Only ask as I removed the antifoul from my boat 12 months ago, by scraper - I used a good mask, but don't doubt I managed to inhale / swallow some dust.

2 weeks ago I had an "event" that was severe enough for SWMBO to call an Ambulance. Not going to say what it was as I don't want to put ideas into peoples heads.

Since then I have been trying to find out, before I see a Consultant next week, if there has been anything I have done in the past that could have caused my episode.

The upshot is at the moment I am prohibited from driving .......which is a bit of a booger!

Cheers
rob
Click to expand...
I would have thought any irritant would have been faster than 12 months, but admit that is just a layman's thought.
 
What many dont realise is that if you power wash the hull the water vapour carries the toxic chemicals and can be nearly as bad as the dust. Some years ago a friend retired at 55 he removed all the A/F and when I saw him he was blue all over his face and wasnt using a mask.About a year later he got Alzeimers at 56 ,was that the reason? We shall never know.
 
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