Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.5
3.9
Journals
Toxics
Special Issues
Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks
share announcement

Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Exposome Analysis and Risk Assessment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 3953

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anne Thoustrup Saber

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, department of Chemical Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: firefighting; particles; occupational toxicity; cancer; cardiovascular diseases; human biomonitoring
Dr. Maria Helena Guerra Andersen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, department of Chemical Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: firefighting; DNA damage; cardiovascular; air pollution; particles; PAHs; human biomonitoring; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Firefighting activities include a combination of exposures, involving a highly complex mix of hazards such as smoke and combustion products, soot, physical exhaustion, hyperthermia and dehydration, exposure to chemicals, night work, noise and mental stress. Firefighting exposures have been associated with cancer in humans, with sufficient evidence for causality (IARC 2022). Firefighters have also been reported to suffer more from cardiovascular disease than other groups of workers in studies around the globe. Furthermore, some studies have reported affected reproductive and neurotoxic endpoints among firefighters.

The complexity of studying mechanisms of toxicity from firefighting is also challenged by differences in firefighting realities around the globe. These include the different types of fires, the different roles and tasks performed at fire scenes, the different personal protection used, the changes in protection equipment and processes used over time and the historical differences within buildings, electronics and furnishing materials and chemicals. Assessing the occupational exposures and health hazards of firefighting is therefore challenging, but it is critical for the safety of firefighters.

Authors are warmly invited to submit original research papers and state-of-the-art reviews addressing the field of firefighters’ occupational exposures and health risks. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: assessment of firefighters’ exposure to health-relevant hazards; use of biomarkers to assess occupational exposure and associated effects; mechanisms of toxicity. All submitted manuscripts will go through a rigorous peer review process.

Dr. Anne Thoustrup Saber
Dr. Maria Helena Guerra Andersen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • firefighting
  • biomonitoring
  • exposure assessment
  • health outcomes

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

11 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Perceptions of Exposure and Mask Use in Wildland Firefighters
by Tanis Zadunayski, Natasha Broznitsky, Drew Lichty and Nicola Cherry
Toxics 2024, 12(8), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080576 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 268
Abstract
Wildland firefighters are exposed to airborne particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other hazardous substances. Respiratory protection is indicated, but information is lacking on the tasks and conditions for which mask wearing should be advised. Studies to assess respiratory protection in wildland firefighters [...] Read more.
Wildland firefighters are exposed to airborne particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other hazardous substances. Respiratory protection is indicated, but information is lacking on the tasks and conditions for which mask wearing should be advised. Studies to assess respiratory protection in wildland firefighters were carried out in western Canada in 2021 and 2023. Sampling pumps measured airborne exposures and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) was assayed to indicate PAH absorption. Participants in 2021 reported the time for which they wore the mask during each task. In 2023, the use of masks was reported, and firefighters rated the smoke intensity. In 2021, 72 firefighters were monitored over 164 shifts and, in 2023, 89 firefighters were monitored for 263 shifts. In 2021, mask wearing was highest for those engaged in initial attack and hot spotting. Urinary 1-HP at the end of rotation was highest for those reporting initial attack, working on a prescribed fire and mop-up. In 2023, firefighter ratings of smoke intensity were strongly associated with measured particulate mass and with urinary 1-HP, but masks were not worn more often when there was higher smoke intensity. The data from the literature did not provide a clear indication of high-exposure tasks. Better task/exposure information is needed for firefighters to make informed decisions about mask wearing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks)
19 pages, 3604 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Impact of Pre-Soaking to Enhance Laundering Efficacy of Firefighter Turnout Gear
by Md Tanjim Hossain and R. Bryan Ormond
Toxics 2024, 12(8), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080544 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 300
Abstract
Firefighters are exposed to hazardous chemicals at fire scenes, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among many others, which pose significant health risks. Current laundering practices are ineffective at removing persistent contaminants from turnout gear, necessitating further research to optimize cleaning methods. This study [...] Read more.
Firefighters are exposed to hazardous chemicals at fire scenes, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among many others, which pose significant health risks. Current laundering practices are ineffective at removing persistent contaminants from turnout gear, necessitating further research to optimize cleaning methods. This study explores the impact of presoaking prior to the laundering process and the factors that can affect its effectiveness, including the presoaking duration and detergent concentration, in PAH removal when laundering. For this, contaminated fabric swatches were subjected to various presoaking durations (1, 3, and 12 h) and detergent concentrations (99:1 and 90:10 water-to-detergent ratios) before undergoing bench-scale washing. The cleaning efficacy was assessed for 16 PAH compounds, including both low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs and high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs. Moreover, the removal mechanisms of PAHs from turnout gear were fundamentally explained using partition coefficients and standard affinities with different parameters during washing. The results demonstrate that 3 h and 12 h of presoaking lead to 2.8 and 4.3 times greater HMW PAH removal, respectively. After 12 h of presoaking in a 90:10 water-to-detergent ratio, 97% of the LMW PAHs and 78% of the HMW PAHs were removed, compared to only an 11% removal of the HMW PAHs with a 99:1 ratio. Additionally, direct washing with a 90:10 ratio achieved comparable efficacy to that of presoaking with the same water-to-detergent ratio, indicating the crucial role of detergent concentration during laundering. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing firefighter safety practices, emphasizing the role of presoaking and the appropriate methods to perform presoaking to mitigate firefighters’ occupational exposure risks to toxic substances and ensure gear reliability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2910 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Wildland Firefighters’ Exposure to Coarse, Fine, and Ultrafine Particles; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; and Metal(loid)s, and Estimation of Associated Health Risks
by Joana Teixeira, Gabriel Sousa, Rui Azevedo, Agostinho Almeida, Cristina Delerue-Matos, Xianyu Wang, Alice Santos-Silva, Francisca Rodrigues and Marta Oliveira
Toxics 2024, 12(6), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12060422 - 10 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 972
Abstract
Firefighters’ occupational activity causes cancer, and the characterization of exposure during firefighting activities remains limited. This work characterizes, for the first time, firefighters’ exposure to (coarse/fine/ultrafine) particulate matter (PM) bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s during prescribed fires, Fire 1 and Fire [...] Read more.
Firefighters’ occupational activity causes cancer, and the characterization of exposure during firefighting activities remains limited. This work characterizes, for the first time, firefighters’ exposure to (coarse/fine/ultrafine) particulate matter (PM) bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s during prescribed fires, Fire 1 and Fire 2 (210 min). An impactor collected 14 PM fractions, the PM levels were determined by gravimetry, and the PM-bound PAHs and metal(loid)s were determined by chromatographic and spectroscopic methodologies, respectively. Firefighters were exposed to a total PM level of 1408.3 and 342.5 µg/m3 in Fire 1 and Fire 2, respectively; fine/ultrafine PM represented more than 90% of total PM. Total PM-bound PAHs (3260.2 ng/m3 in Fire 1; 412.1 ng/m3 in Fire 2) and metal(loid)s (660.8 ng/m3 versus 262.2 ng/m3), distributed between fine/ultrafine PM, contained 4.57–24.5% and 11.7–12.6% of (possible/probable) carcinogenic PAHs and metal(loid)s, respectively. Firefighters’ exposure to PM, PAHs, and metal(loid)s were below available occupational limits. The estimated carcinogenic risks associated with the inhalation of PM-bound PAHs (3.78 × 10−9 − 1.74 × 10−6) and metal(loid)s (1.50 × 10−2 − 2.37 × 10−2) were, respectively, below and 150–237 times higher than the acceptable risk level defined by the USEPA during 210 min of firefighting activity and assuming a 40-year career as a firefighter. Additional studies need to (1) explore exposure to (coarse/fine/ultrafine) PM, (2) assess health risks, (3) identify intervention needs, and (4) support regulatory agencies recommending mitigation procedures to reduce the impact of fire effluents on firefighters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 1524 KiB  
Article
Firefighters’ Occupational Exposure in Preparation for Wildfire Season: Addressing Biological Impact
by Filipa Esteves, Klara Slezakova, Joana Madureira, Josiana Vaz, Adília Fernandes, Simone Morais, Maria do Carmo Pereira, João Paulo Teixeira and Solange Costa
Toxics 2024, 12(3), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12030201 - 5 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1562
Abstract
The characterization of wildland firefighters’ occupational exposure must consider different exposures, including those at the fire station. The present study aimed to characterize the occupational exposure of 172 Northern Portuguese wildland firefighters in fire stations during the pre-wildfire season of 2021. The biological [...] Read more.
The characterization of wildland firefighters’ occupational exposure must consider different exposures, including those at the fire station. The present study aimed to characterize the occupational exposure of 172 Northern Portuguese wildland firefighters in fire stations during the pre-wildfire season of 2021. The biological impact of estimated inhaled doses of PM10 and PM2.5 (indoor/outdoor) was accessed through a buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay in exfoliated buccal cells of a subgroup of 80 firefighters. No significant association was found between estimated inhaled doses of PM10 and PM2.5 (mean 1.73 ± 0.43 µg kg−1 and 0.53 ± 0.21 µg kg−1, respectively) and biological endpoints. However, increased frequencies of cell death parameters were found among subjects of the Permanent Intervention Teams (full-time firefighters). The intake of nutritional supplements was associated with a significant decrease in micronucleus frequencies (i.e., DNA damage or chromosome breakage). In addition, our findings showed a significantly increased frequency of cell death endpoints (i.e., nuclear fragmentation) with coffee consumption, while daily consumption of vegetables significantly decreased it (i.e., nuclear shrinkage). Our results provide data on the occupational exposure of wildland firefighters while working in fire stations during the pre-wildfire season, providing the essential baseline for further studies throughout the wildfire season. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Firefighters’ Occupational Exposures and Health Risks)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop