oil smell durin gpregnancy

[joreb82]

Hello-

Yesterday I had a minor oil spill (aprox 3 gallons) in my basement from contractors doing work. I did get a oil company and a enviromental team out here with in a few hours to begin cleaning and making sure my home was safe...since being 5 months pregnant. I was at work all day today and just came home to the oil smell through my home. I have done a lot of research and have a doctor's appointment in a couple days. I just want to make sure my un-born child and myself are not in any harm or if there is anything else I should do. The smell is not awful but noticable. I have a air-fileter system also coming tomorrow. Please let me know your thoughts.

[caregiver222]

The creation of "differential pressure" within the room with a contaminent is a time-honored method of containing fumes. In the case of a basement spill this would involve placing an EXHAUST fan in the basement window and in the upper stories of the house putting fans TAKING IN AIR (just the opposite). This is the principal of the "positive pressure" room used in hospitals where there is airborne contamination. It is important to limit airflow between the floor, but not to entirely shut off airflow. In other words, if you have an exhaust fan in the basement and an intake fan upstairs the door between the cdeller and the upper floors should be "cracked". Heating oil contains several components, of varying volatility. The first components will disperse into the air rapidly, but the oil has what is called "persistence" and they may be odor for a long period of time. You should not be doing the scrubbing, but repeated use of soap and water will emulsify most of the oils, and if there is a drain in the basement, a hose can wash down the fluid. Concrete tends to be porous, and it is difficult to entirely eliminate fuel odor from such a surface.

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

Hello,

What kind of oil spilled in your basement? Heating oil? Motor oil?

The prompt and proper clean-up of the spill by someone other that you (since you are pregnant) is the most important corrective action.

To take the abundance of caution, you should not be in confined space (such as your basement) where there has been a spill of volatile materials.

Do you have additional questions after your appointment with your medical provider?

~•~ 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.

[caregiver222]

In addition, the use of ordinary laundry detergant, scrubbed on with a heavy bristle brush, will emulsify the oil, and assist in  removing it from the porous surface.  The oil-water-soap mixture should then be taken up by rags, which should be discarded. As the oil will again come to the surface this process has to be repeated daily for several days. Be especially careful NEVER to wipe an oil spill with a rag and then put the oil-contaminated rag in a garbage bag in the house. An oil-soaked rag can ignite on it's own through spontaneous combustion. This is unlikely, but common enough in machine shops, which use fire-proof containers for oily waste.

[caregiver222]

You ask a good question, but it is a "how many angels on the head of a pin question". There is no absolute answer. My gut feeling is that there is absolutely no danger from such a minor spill under the circumstances you describe. That being said, oil has what is called volatility. The oil molecules become vapor and enter the air. There are two approaches to cleaning up such a spill. The first approach is to use an absorbant material on top of the spill.  Some recommend pouring alcohol on top of the absorbant and putting a weight on top to cause the oil to seep upwards into the absorbant material. Then removing the absorbant and repeating the process. A ventillation fan, on continually, taking air outside, causing air exchanges, will remove the molecules from the room. This will also keep the pressure in the contaminated room lower and reduce the chances of the molecules entering other rooms. The other protocol is to use a heat source, such as an electric-fan heater (fuel oil will not ignite) and warm the area of the spill while the absorbant material is on, which will decrease the viscosity of the fluid and increase the number of molecules that will go into the air to be taken out by the exhaust fan. The final action is, after all is said and done, might be to seal the surface with a polyurethane or epoxy sealant.