Characterization of occupational smoke exposure among wildland firefighters in the midwestern United States
| Autor: | Luke P. Naeher, Chieh-Ming Wu, Jacob Kremer, Chi Chuck Song, Ryan Chartier, Olorunfemi Adetona |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Poison control Recommended exposure limit Air Pollutants Occupational 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Biochemistry Fires Occupational safety and health Fire smoke Midwestern United States 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Occupational Exposure Smoke Environmental health Fire protection Humans 030212 general & internal medicine 0105 earth and related environmental sciences General Environmental Science Inhalation Exposure Prescribed burn Middle Aged Particulates Smoke exposure Southeastern United States United States Firefighters Environmental science Female |
| Zdroj: | Environmental Research. 193:110541 |
| ISSN: | 0013-9351 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110541 |
| Popis: | Wildland firefighters are repeatedly exposed to elevated levels of wildland fire smoke (WFS) while protecting lives and properties from wildland fires. Studies reporting personal exposure concentrations of air pollutants in WFS during fire suppression or prescribed burn activities have been geographically limited to the western and southeastern United States. The objective of this study is to characterize exposure concentrations of air pollutants in WFS emissions among wildland firefighters who conducted prescribed burns in the Midwest. Between 2016 and 2019, a total of 35 firefighters (31 males and 4 females, age of 35.63 ± 9.31 years) were recruited to participate in this study. Personal particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) exposure concentrations were measured during prescribed burns. The level of black carbon (BC) in WFS particulates was determined using the light transmission technique, while trace metal composition was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed geometric means for PM2.5, CO, and BC concentrations were 1.43 ± 0.13 mg/m3, 7.02 ± 0.69 ppm, and 58.79 ± 5.46 μg/m3, respectively. Although no occupational exposure limits (OELs) were exceeded by 8-h time-weighted average (TWA) exposure concentration observed in the firefighters, a total of 28 personal CO exposure concentrations were above the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) Ceiling (200 ppm) for CO. PM2.5 and CO concentrations were about 2–7 times higher in the Midwest than the other regions. Firefighters who performed holding had higher CO exposure concentrations compared to firefighters who performed lighting (p |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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