Biomonitoring of firefighters' exposure to priority pollutant metal(loid)s during wildland fire combat missions: Impact on urinary levels and health risks

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Paiva, AM (Author) Other; Barros, B (Author) Other; Azevedo, R (Author) Other; Oliveira, M (Author) Other; Alves, S (Author) Other; Esteves, F (Author) Other; Fernandes, A (Author) Other; Vaz, J (Author) Other; Alves, MJ (Author) Other; Klara Slezakova (Author) FEUP; Maria do Carmo Pereira (Author) FEUP; Teixeira, JP (Author) FMUP; Carla Costa (Author) Other; Agostinho Almeida (Author) FFUP; Morais, S (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Science of the Total Environment

Vol. 953

ISSN: 0048-9697

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Natural sciences > Environmental science ; Health sciences

Associated Projects

BioFirEx - Um painel de (bio)marcadores para a vigilância da saúde e da segurança do bombeiro

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-016-WY8

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176105

Abstract (EN): Wildland firefighters are exposed to metal(loid)s released during wildfires through vegetation combustion, which also promotes remobilization of accumulated anthropogenic metal(loid)s. Studies biomonitoring metal(loid)s exposure promoted exclusively by wildfire suppression activities are lacking. This work aimed to characterize, for the first time, the impact of real-life wildland firefighting operations on urinary levels of priority pollutant metal(loid)s [14 included in ATSDR, 11 in USEPA, and 4 in Human Biomonitoring for Europe Initiative priority lists] in firefighters. Spot urines were sampled pre-exposure (105 non-smokers, 76 smokers) and post-exposure to firefighting activities (20 non-smokers, 25 smokers); among those, paired samples were collected from 14 nonsmoking and 24 smoking firefighters. Smokers displayed significantly higher baseline levels of zinc (28 %), lithium (29 %), cadmium (55 %), rubidium (13 %), and copper (20 %) than non-smokers. Following wildfire suppression, the concentration of the WHO potentially toxic metal(loid)s rose from 2 % to 3 % in smokers and 2 % to 5 % in non-smokers (up to 4 % for all firefighters and up to 5 % in paired samples). Levels of nickel (33-53 %), antimony (45-56 %), and cesium (40-47 %) increased significantly post-exposure in non-smokers (in all firefighters and in paired samples), whose urinary concentrations were generally more impacted by wildfire emissions than those of smokers. Arsenic (80 %) displayed the only significant increase post-exposure in smokers, being the best discriminant of exposure to wildfire emissions in these subjects. Significant positive correlations were found for age and/or career length with cadmium, lead, barium, strontium, and mercury, and for body mass index with arsenic. The reference/guidance values were exceeded for arsenic, zinc, cesium, nickel, antimony, cadmium, lead, thallium, mercury, copper, and cobalt in 1-90 % of firefighters suggesting augmented health risks due to wildfire combating and emphasizing the need of mitigation strategies. This study also provides biomonitoring data to help setting reference values for the occupationally exposed part of population.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14