The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the combustion of various types of materials (i.e., oak, beech, and pine wood, polypropylene, polyurethane, paper, cotton, and oriented strand board (OSB)), and to compare the carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic potential of the emissions during the burning of these materials. Personal portable sampling devices were used to collect samples and to determine concentrations of PM4, total suspended particles (TSPs), PM-bound PAHs. The samples were collected during controlled fires under laboratory conditions. The highest PM concentration was recorded during the burning of polyurethane (PM4-1818 mg/m3, TSP-2800 mg/m3), while the highest concentration of PAH mixture was recorded when burning OSB (628.5 µg/m3 PM4-bound; 791.2 µg/m3 TSP-bound PAHs). Thus, the highest carcinogenic (85.5 µg/m3), mutagenic (68.2 µg/m3) and toxic equivalents (26.4 ng/m3) of the PAH mixture were noted during OSB combustion. Carcinogenic potential (CP) of PAH group was determined mainly by phenanthrene (CP on average 21.6%) and pyrene concentrations (13.3%). The results of the study express possible adverse effects from PM-bound PAHs released during combustion for firefighters and other people staying near a fire site.
Keywords: combustion products; fire smoke; particulate matter; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.