Breathing problems after handling old comics? 2 2

[Heavy-ish Metal]

Hi, got a weird but very troubling problem here and hoping to get some insight.

I've started collecting comics/magazines this year and that includes some of the Warren magazine series (Creepy, Vampirella, Eerie), which seem to be printed on pulp paper/newsprint (I'm not a scholar with printing techniques so forgive me for not knowing the technical details).

I've procured a bunch of these from eBay and local shops, and have found that after thumbing through them for not even a minute, I start coughing intensely and wheezing. This goes on for hours even after putting the comics away.

So what do you think is going on? Could the paper be releasing small particles that I'm breathing in? Mold spores? Dust mites (I'm allergic to these)?

I'd also be interested in hearing possible remedies. If nothing works then I'll need to sell these issues off as they're apparently a health hazard for me!

[kav]

do your fingers tingle/itch after handling?  Def sounds like allergy to something.  I would unload them.  I got similar allergy to dutch elm beetles residue and it nearly killed me.

Edited November 28, 2020 by kav

[kav]

Could also be farmer's lung, which killed a co worker of mine.  

Edited November 28, 2020 by kav

[evilskip]

Get rid of them yesterday.

[Heavy-ish Metal]

4 minutes ago, kav said:

do your fingers tingle/itch after handling? Def sounds like allergy to something. I would unload them. I got similar allergy to dutch elm beetles residue and it nearly killed me.

As far as I've seen no skin irritation or itching yet, but maybe it's there and I haven't noticed because I'm so shocked by the breathing issues! Seriously coughing a lot and barely getting enough air for hours after reading.

[kav]

Just now, Heavy-ish Metal said:

As far as I've seen no skin irritation or itching yet, but maybe it's there and I haven't noticed because I'm so shocked by the breathing issues! Seriously coughing a lot and barely getting enough air for hours after reading.

Have someone else bag up all the books in a trash bag.  Air out home thouroughly.  Have someone else vaccuum.  If persists see Dr.  

[Heavy-ish Metal]

17 minutes ago, kav said:

Have someone else bag up all the books in a trash bag. Air out home thouroughly. Have someone else vaccuum. If persists see Dr.

Shot in the dark but anything I can do to treat the books themselves? Was thinking of taking them outside and gently shaking out each page to release any particles stuck in there, wipe gently with a gloved hand. Or let them sit outside to air out. Not sure what the best solution is.

[kav]

Just now, Heavy-ish Metal said:

Shot in the dark but anything I can do to treat the books themselves? Was thinking of taking them outside and gently shaking out each page to release any particles stuck in there, wipe gently with a gloved hand. Or let them sit outside to air out. Not sure what the best solution is.

You must get rid of them.  This is nothing to fool around with. 

[JollyComics]

I LOVE THE SMELL OF OLD COMICS.

[WolverineX]

mold?  either way.  stop reading them!

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

As far as I've seen no skin irritation or itching yet, but maybe it's there and I haven't noticed because I'm so shocked by the breathing issues! Seriously coughing a lot and barely getting enough air for hours after reading.

Mold? Do you have hay-fever related allergies? Pollen, mold, mildew, etc.? 

Also. and I don't mean to alarm you, but occasionally an old unfinished attic might possibly be contaminated with fiberglass particles which usually settle onto anything stored there. Years ago, it was very common to insulate the walls of attics with 2X6 or 2X8 foot sheets of fiberglass-based insulation, spun fiberglass particles sandwiched between two paper sheets, a good 2 to 3 inches thick. 

A similar potentially hazardous storage issue exists for some old basements, asbestos insulation surrounding hot water pipes that look like a thick white cast around a limb! 

The fiberglass and asbestos degrades, crumbles, erodes, as it ages and mixes with the other particles of dust and debris. It is possible that your books are laced with this kind of dust cocktail and affecting you as noted.

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, kav said:

Could also be farmer's lung, which killed a co worker of mine.  

I had a co-worker that was killed by Aqualung. He was a roadie for Jethro Tull and the band's moving truck backed up over him! 

[kav]

8 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Mold? Do you have hay-fever related allergies? Pollen, mold, mildew, etc.? 

Also. and I don't mean to alarm you, but occasionally an old unfinished attic might possibly be contaminated with fiberglass particles which usually settle onto anything stored there. Years ago, it was very common to insulate the walls of attics with 2X6 or 2X8 foot sheets of fiberglass-based insulation, spun fiberglass particles sandwiched between two paper sheets, a good 2 to 3 inches thick. 

A similar potentially hazardous storage issue exists for some old basements, asbestos insulation surrounding hot water pipes that look like a thick white cast around a limb! 

The fiberglass and asbestos degrades, crumbles, erodes, as it ages and mixes with the other particles of dust and debris. It is possible that your books are laced with this kind of dust cocktail and affecting you as noted.

Asbestos will not cause an immediate reaction as described.  It causes a long term condition breathing asbestos for years.

[kav]

Also asbestos is a mineral and does not degrade.

[James J Johnson]

6 minutes ago, kav said:

Also asbestos is a mineral and does not degrade.

Crumbles with age when it's cast as insulation. The entire wrap degrades. Mixes in with other debris. Dust, mites, dead insect residue/dust. Makes a very fine, powdery dust coating. And then, of course, you usually have some fiberglass based insulation nearby

Edited November 28, 2020 by James J Johnson

[kav]

Just now, James J Johnson said:

Crumbles with age when it's cast as insulation. Mixes in with other debris. Dust, mites, dead insect residue/dust. 

It should not crumble any more than a quartz crystal of any size would.  There is no oxidation or nything happening.

As you can see from the chemical formulas of the various asbestos, there is no site where an extra oxygen would bond:

 

[kav]

The reason asbestos is so bad is precisely because it is unreactive.  It sits in the lungs like tiny shards of glass and any white corpuscles that try to digest it just pop.

[Heavy-ish Metal]

15 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Mold? Do you have hay-fever related allergies? Pollen, mold, mildew, etc.?

Also. and I don't mean to alarm you, but occasionally an old unfinished attic might possibly be contaminated with fiberglass particles which usually settle onto anything stored there. Years ago, it was very common to insulate the walls of attics with 2X6 or 2X8 foot sheets of fiberglass-based insulation, spun fiberglass particles sandwiched between two paper sheets, a good 2 to 3 inches thick.

A similar potentially hazardous storage issue exists for some old basements, asbestos insulation surrounding hot water pipes that look like a thick white cast around a limb!

The fiberglass and asbestos degrades, crumbles, erodes, as it ages and mixes with the other particles of dust and debris. It is possible that your books are laced with this kind of dust cocktail and affecting you as noted.

This is a GREAT explanation and makes a ton of sense. At first I was like "what are they talking about? I don't have any fiber glass in MY attic...." and then it hit me, I have no idea how these books and mags were stored before I got them. Their pages have yellowed heavily, which is no surprise for newsprint, and I'm sure they could have been kept in an environment where tons of particulates were finding their way to the books. Fiberglass is definitely a possibility, I lived in a room with some of that stuff poking out of the ceiling and it was impossible to get the itchy little pieces out of the room.

Well, I'm now fairly sad because I had just completed the run of Warren's 1984/1994 magazine and want to read it. But... I now don't think I should risk having these things up in my face if they leave me gasping for air!

[kav]

asbestos and fiberglass do not cause an allergic reaction.  Your bronchioles are constricting.  This is not an insulation issue.

[mrc]

4 minutes ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

Well, I'm now fairly sad because I had just completed the run of Warren's 1984/1994 magazine and want to read it. But... I now don't think I should risk having these things up in my face if they leave me gasping for air!

.....really all you can do is shake out any particles from the books and then air them. Air them for a few days or even a couple of weeks. Fan the pages if you can. If after that you still get a reaction, then bin them. Your health is too important.