TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The shelter-in-place near the I-10 has been lifted, but there’s still a recommendation to stay alert for symptoms if outside air got inside of your home.
RELATED: Nitric acid spill evacuation order rescinded, I-10 reopens
If your air or heater was on during the shelter-in-place and you’re within one mile from the spill, the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center said it’s possible you were exposed to the nitric acid.
Andrew Dobbins from the Intelligent Design Air Conditioning and Heating company said it’s important to make sure your systems have an air purifier not only for situations like this one but for possible toxins coming from materials your house was built with.
“Indoor air, even when there’s not some sort of catastrophe outside, especially with newer homes is a very sealed environment and there’s off gassing of the carpets, glues-- and the cabinets have off gassing,” said Dobbins.
Dobbins recommended not having a paper filter but an electronic air purifier with carbon and a UV light. He said the carbon absorbs chemicals and the filter will help kill outside air pollutants that could come into your home.
“The EPA has said indoor air it can be 5 times worse than the outside air with these gases, and it's the number two leading cause of lung cancer in the United States right now-- second of course to smoking. You already have these things going on in your house, purifying the air is essential to your health,” said Dobbins.
The Pima County Health Department said it could take 12 to 24 hours after exposure to feel symptoms.
RELATED: What to know if exposed to Nitric Acid
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Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to KGUN, Faith worked as a videographer for the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and as a reporter and producer on the youth suicide documentary, "Life is..." on Arizona PBS.
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