Characterising the exposure of Australian firefighters to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons generated in simulated compartment fires

Andrew P W Banks; Phong Thai; Michelle Engelsman; Xianyu Wang; Andres F Osorio; Jochen F Mueller

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113637

Characterising the exposure of Australian firefighters to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons generated in simulated compartment fires

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2021 Jan:231:113637. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113637. Epub 2020 Oct 17.

Authors

Andrew P W Banks¹, Phong Thai², Michelle Engelsman³, Xianyu Wang², Andres F Osorio⁴, Jochen F Mueller²

Affiliations

¹ QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia. Electronic address: a.banks@uq.edu.au.
² QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
³ QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia; FRNSW, Fire and Rescue NSW, 1 Amarina Avenue, Greenacre, NSW, 2190, Australia.
⁴ School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 33080523
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113637

Abstract

Firefighters are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) while attending fire scenes. The objective of this study was to understand the exposure of firefighters to PAHs when attending simulated compartment fires that consisted of either a diesel pan or particleboard fire. Firefighters remained in the compartment fires for 15 min while using standard gear including self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Firefighters were able to remove firefighting clothing and shower within 10 min of leaving the burn. Air samples were collected from inside the compartment during the fire. Twenty-six (26) firefighters participated in the study providing urine and skin wipe samples collected from the wrist and neck before and after either one of the burn types. The concentrations of PAHs were measured in skin wipes and air samples, while concentrations of monohydroxy metabolites of PAHs (OH-PAHs) were measured in urine. The concentrations of all PAHs were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the smoke layer of particleboard fires than in diesel pan fires. Correspondingly, the level of PAHs deposited on the wrists and necks of participants attending the particleboard fires was higher than those attending diesel pan fires. Urine samples from participants who attended diesel pan fires showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the concentration of all OH-PAHs between pre-burn and post-burn. Samples from participants who attended particleboard fires, showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-PYR) concentrations in urine pre- and post-burn. However, median concentrations of hydroxynaphthalenes (OH-NAPs), hydroxyfluorenes (OH-FLUs) and hydroxyphenanthrenes (OH-PHEs) increased significantly from 5.2, 0.44 and 0.88 μg g^-1 creatinine pre-burn to 12, 1.4 and 1.2 μg g^-1 creatinine post-burn, respectively. This suggests that in compartment burns with high concentrations of PAHs in the smoke layer, such as those created by the particleboard fires, exposure to PAHs can be observed though urinary OH-PAH metabolites. Overall, concentrations of urinary OH-PAHs were relatively low considering the potential exposure in these burns. This suggests protective equipment in combination with rapid removal of firefighting ensembles and showering are relatively effective in controlling exposure.

Keywords: Firefighters; Monohydroxyl-PAHs (OH-PAHs); Occupational exposure; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants, Occupational* / analysis
Australia
Firefighters*
Fires*
Humans
Occupational Exposure* / analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants, Occupational
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons