Indoor and Outdoor Exposure to Ultrafine Particles: the Implications for Public Health

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Firefighters’ biomonitoring: impact of fire combat on levels of urinary monohydroxyl metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Publication . Oliveira, Marta; Slezakova, Klara; Fernandes, Adília; Teixeira, João Paulo Fernandes; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

Firefighters, one of the most hazardous occupations, are regularly exposed to complex mixtures of pollutants during fire combat. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are distributed between the gaseous and particulate phases of air: they are one of the most health-relevant pollutants released during fires because of their genotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties [1]. This work aims to assess the impact of firefighting activities on firefighters’ total exposure to PAHs. Spot urine samples were collected in healthy and non-smoking firefighters before and after fire combat activities. Six urinary PAH metabolites (1-hydroxynaphthalene (1OHNaph), 1-hydroxyacenaphthene (1OHAce), 2-hydroxyfluorene (2OHFlu), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (1OHPhen), 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHPy), and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3OHB[a]P)) were quantified by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection [2-3]. Urinary 1OHNaph and 1OHAce were the predominant biomarkers of exposure in both non-exposed and exposed firefighters, accounting with 63-98% of total levels of PAH biomarkers (ΣOH-PAHs). 2OHFlu, 1OHPhe, and 1OHPy contributed with 1-17%, 1-13%, and 0.3-10% of ΣOH-PAHs, respectively. The PAH biomarker of carcinogenicity (3OHB[a]P) was not detected. Overall exposed firefighters presented levels of ΣOH-PAHs that were 2-35% higher than for non-exposed subjects. Urinary 2OHFlu seems to be the compound with the most pronounced increments in exposed firefighters. Urinary 1OHPy levels were always lower than the benchmark of 0.5 μmol/mol creatinine proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. More studies assessing PAH biomarkers of exposure but also biomarkers of effect and susceptibility are needed to evaluate the impact of fire emissions on the health of firefighters.

2018Conference object

Open access

Occupational exposure of firefighters to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in non-fire work environments

Publication . Oliveira, Marta; Slezakova, Klara; Fernandes, Adília; Teixeira, João Paulo Fernandes; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

This work aims to characterize personal exposure of firefighters to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in non-fire work environments (fire stations), and assesses the respective risks. Eighteen PAHs (16 considered by USEPA as priority pollutants, dibenzo[a,l] pyrene and benzo[j] fluoranthene) were monitored in breathing zones of workers at five Portuguese fire stations during a normal shift. The obtained levels of PAHs fulfilled all existent occupational exposure limits as well as air quality guidelines with total concentrations (Sigma PAHs) in range of 46.8-155 ng m(-3). Light compounds (2-3 rings) were the most predominant congeners (74-96% of Sigma PAHs) whereas PAHs with 5-6 rings accounted 3-9% of Sigma PAHs. Fuel and biomass combustions, vehicular traffic emissions, and use of lubricant oils were identified as the main sources of PAHs exposure at the studied fire corporations. Incremental lifetime cancer risks were below the recommend USEPA guideline of 10(-6) and thus negligible for all the studied subjects, but WHO health-based guideline level of 10(-5) was exceeded (9-44 times) at all fire corporations. These results thus show that even during non-fire situations firefighters are exposed to PAHs at levels that may promote some adverse health outcomes; therefore the respective occupational exposures to these compounds should be carefully controlled. (C) 2017

2017Journal article

Open access

Urinary levels of monohydroxyl PAH metabolites in portuguese firefighters: background levels and impact of tobacco smoke

Publication . Oliveira, Marta; Slezakova, Klara; Gomes, Maria José; Azevedo, Ana; Teixeira, João Paulo Fernandes; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

Firefighting occupational exposure is classified as possible carcinogen to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [1,2]. Full monitoring of firefighters’ exposure to PAHs via all exposure routes should be performed through the quantification of their internal dose. The consumption of tobacco is responsible for the exposure to many smoke components including more than sixty known carcinogens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) [3]. PAHs are ubiquitous compounds formed during pyrolysis or incomplete combustion of organic matter, being well known for their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties to humans [4,5]. So far, the impact of tobacco smoke on firefighters’ total exposure to PAHs is very limited.

2016Conference object

Open access

Urinary levels of monohydroxyl PAH metabolites in portuguese firefighters: background levels and impact of tobacco smoke

Publication . Oliveira, Marta; Slezakova, Klara; Gomes, Maria José; Azevedo, Ana; Teixeira, João Paulo Fernandes; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

Firefighting occupational exposure is classified as possible carcinogen to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [1,2].  Tobacco smoke is a very important factor in the assessment of occupational exposure of workers, since the prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke is by itself the major cause of lung cancer [3]. The consumption of tobacco is responsible for the exposure to many smoke components including more than sixty known carcinogens, including some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) [4].  PAHs are ubiquitous compounds formed during pyrolysis or incomplete combustion of organic matter, being well-known for their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties to humans [5,6]. So far, the impact of tobacco smoke on firefighters’ total exposure to PAHs is very limited.

2016Conference object

Open access

Individual and cumulative impacts of fire emissions and tobacco consumption on wildland firefighters’ total exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Publication . Oliveira, Marta; Slezakova, Klara; Magalhães, Carlos Pires; Fernandes, Adília; Teixeira, João Paulo Fernandes; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

There is limited information about wildland firefighters’ exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydro-carbons (PAHs), being scarce studies that included the impact of tobacco consumption. Thus, thiswork evaluated the individual and cumulative impacts of firefighting activities and smoking onwildland firefighters’ total exposure to PAHs. Six urinary PAH metabolites (1-hydroxynaphthalene(1OHNaph), 1-hydroxyacenaphthene (1OHAce), 2-hydroxyfluorene (2OHFlu), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene(1OHPhen), 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHPy), and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3OHB[a]P)) were quantified byhigh-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Firefighters from three fire sta-tions were characterized and organized in three groups: non-smoking and non-exposed to fire emissions(NSNExp), smoking non-exposed (SNExp), and smoking exposed (SExp) individuals. 1OHNaph + 1OHAcewere the most predominant OH-PAHs (66–91% OH-PAHs), followed by 2OHFlu (2.8–28%), 1OHPhen(1.3–7%), and 1OHPy (1.4–6%). 3OHB[a]P, the carcinogenicity PAH biomarker, was not detected. Regu-lar consumption of tobacco increased 76–412% OH-PAHs. Fire combat activities promoted significantincrements of 158–551% OH-PAHs. 2OHFlu was the most affected compound by firefighting activi-ties (111–1068%), while 1OHNaph + 1OHAce presented the more pronounced increments due to tobaccoconsumption (22–339%); 1OHPhen (76–176%) and 1OHPy (20–220%) were the least influenced ones.OH-PAH levels of SExp firefighters were significantly higher than in other groups, suggesting that thesesubjects may be more vulnerable to develop and/or aggravate diseases related with PAHs exposure.

2017Journal article

Open access