Chemical exposure

What are the health dangers to children exposed to car batteries stored in ( Inside House ) living space ?

[Philip D Parks, MD, MPH, MOccH, FACOEM]

Hello,

What type of exposure are you concerned about?
1. Fumes?
2. Direct contact?

How old are the children?

Inhaling fumes from a battery can be extremely dangerous and harmful to the lungs and respiratory tract.

When batteries get wet or damp, sulfuric acid may be present in the air as small droplets or attached to other small airborne particulates (for example, dust). Sulfuric acid is extremely irritating to skin, mucous membranes (eyes, inside of the nose, throat), and to the upper airway (trachea) and to the lungs. If you inhaled either droplets or particulates with droplets attached, you could experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing, sore throat, and worsening of the typical symptoms you have with your asthma (wheezing).

Possible symptoms that may result from exposure to sulfuric acid:

Inhalation of sulfuric acid droplets can cause a chemical pneumonitis (inflammation in the lungs). If you have chemical pneumonitis, your lungs may not be able to clear other particles that you may inhale and you may be at higher risk for developing pneumonia. In addition, the sulfuric acid is irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and could cause nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

Lastly, where can you get information on this problem?

You can perform a google search and use “battery acid fumes” and “MSDS” as search terms. MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheet. Or, you're welcome to continue the question/answer in this forum.

Here is a link as well: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts117.html


~ Dr. Parks

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.