Croqueteer,
The fact is that you have simply been extremely lucky. You will almost certainly have had a very significant exposure to contaminated air in that time. Your history of no problems probably means you are simply one of the lucky individuals with a tolerance of the particular cocktail of toxins which comprise contaiminated air on the 146. MANY others with a slightly different body chemistry (or whatever it is that determines tolerance) have not been so lucky - I personally know of more than a dozen people with messed up health as a result of contaimated air on a variety of types. Please check out the Aerotoxic Association to inform youself of the extent of this problem and the issues surrounding it. (
www.aerotoxic.org)
The APU is deeply implicated in the 146s contaminated air problem. Maybe, like many captains in my experience you usually got the FO to fire up the APU while you did the walk round outside? If so, then you saved yourself from a nasty dose of contaminants each morning while your FO and FAs breathed in lungfuls.
It is a total scandal that pilots new to the 146 are not told 'there is a long history of pilots and FAs developing serious medical problems on this type. Now you know this do you still want to risk it?'
Personally, I advise my family and friends to steer well clear of this and other high risk of contaminated air types such as the 757
PP