B737-800
Flight Attendant Current
Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Maintenance Action; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Aircraft; Human Factors
I was investigating a leaky seal on L2 when I noticed a slight chemical or electrical type smell in the aft galley. Soon thereafter I noticed a metallic taste and started to feel light headed and developed a headache. Shortly thereafter I had labored breathing and an increased heart rate of 90 (normal for me is 60). I also noticed heart palpitations and a bit of a problem concentrating. Around the same time some passengers in row 15 ask what was wrong with the cabin pressure. They said they flew all the time and were runners and knew something was wrong with the air as they were having difficulty breathing. The Captain informed me that pressurization was normal at 7;000 feet. Seeing that I was having difficulty breathing; the D flight attendant switched places with me and I went up to the front galley. Still having difficulty; I went to the flight deck and breathed 100 percent O2 for about 20 minutes. I felt somewhat better after the O2. The First Officer said we might be having an air quality situation. That made sense to me because I was feeling very much the same as I was when I had a serious air quality event when the APU on an MD80 blew a seal and hydraulic fluid entered the air supply system. I left the flight deck and noticed my symptoms seemed to get worse as we prepared the cabin for landing.  The smell was stronger in the aft portion of the aircraft especially in the galley. My eyes and respiratory tract become very irritated and I began to cough. I also felt very fatigued. The Captain made log entries for both the leaky seal and the air quality event. After we landed and deplaned; I showed the mechanic where we thought the leaky seal was located. I also explained symptoms; smells and passenger comments. He stated it was probably a bleed air contamination and that with this type of aircraft; engine oil is the usual suspect. I am currently off work with a variety of symptoms including cognitive issues primarily in the areas of memory and concentration. I have seen my Doctor and I am awaiting results from blood tests.I believe that either heated engine oil or hydraulic fluid mixed with the bleed air and contaminated the unfiltered cabin air with a mixture of toxins including tricresyl phosphates.The contamination of aircraft bleed air to the cabin air supply happens frequently. Boeing is doing the right thing by building the dreamliner with a safe; non bleed air system; but the majority of aircraft flying today incorporate this old technology. My suggestions for avoiding recurrence is to find or develop engine oil and hydraulic fluid that does not contain tricresylphosphates. Additionally aircraft should have a chemical detection system that would worn pilots that a possibly debilitating toxin is entering the air supply.
The reporter stated the aircraft was taken out of service following this flight but apparently no faults were found. One other flight attendant and several passengers; all in the aft cabin; were also affected but apparently not the same extent as the reporter who has had previous exposures and is older than the other crew members. The cognitive issues effecting a short term memory and anxiety along with the feeling of pins and needles in the extremities were not noticed until a day or two following the exposure. Blood tests with the reporter's physician the next day returned in the normal range and the only physical symptoms noted in the short term by paramedics were elevated blood pressure and heart rate.
A B737-800 Flight Attendant detected a metallic taste and developed a headache lightheadedness. Later a heart rate increase was noted along with heart palpitations. The after effects continue and the flight attendant is off work more than a month later with continued cognitive issues.