Assessment of ultrafine particles in Portuguese preschools: levels and exposure doses

The aim of this work was to assess ultrafine particles (UFP) number concentrations in different microenvironments of Portuguese preschools and to estimate the respective exposure doses of UFP for 3–5-year-old children (in comparison with adults). UFP were sampled both indoors and outdoors in two urban (US1, US2) and one rural (RS1) preschool located in north of Portugal for 31 days. Total levels of indoor UFP were significantly higher at the urban preschools (mean of 1.82x104 and 1.32x104 particles/cm3 at US1 an US2, respectively) than at the rural one (1.15x104 particles/cm3). Canteens were the indoor microenvironment with the highest UFP (mean of 5.17x104, 3.28x104, and 4.09x104 particles/cm3 at US1, US2, and RS1), whereas the lowest concentrations were observed in classrooms (9.31x103, 11.3x103, and 7.14x103 particles/cm3 at US1, US2, and RS1). Mean indoor/outdoor ratios (I/O) of UFP at three preschools were lower than 1 (0.54–0.93), indicating that outdoor emissions significantly contributed to UFP indoors. Significant correlations were obtained between temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, solar radiation, and ambient UFP number concentrations. The estimated exposure doses were higher in children attending urban preschools; 3–5-year-old children were exposed to 4–6 times higher UFP doses than adults with similar daily schedules

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

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) 2017This work was supported by European Union (FEDER funds through COMPETE) and National Funds (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) through projects UID/QUI/50006/2013, POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265 and UID/EQU/00511/2013-LEPABE, by the FCT/MECwith national funds and co-funded by FEDER in the scope of the P2020 Partnership Agreement. Additional financial support was provided by Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia through fellowships SFRH/BD/80113/2011 and SFRH/BPD/105100/2014. The authors are thankful to all firefighters involved in the study and to collaborators from Escola Superior de Saúde from Instituto Politécnico de Bragança.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biomonitoring of firefighters occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during the 2014 hot season

Human biomonitoring is an important tool in environmental medicine that is used to assess the level of internal exposure to environmental pollutants. Firefighters are one of the most exposed and least studied occupations. During fire suppression, firefighters are heavily exposed to a wide range of chemicals. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that are considered as the largest known group of carcinogens due to their cytotoxic and mutagenic properties. Smoke and ashes released during a fire are important sources of PAH. Firefighters can be also exposed to PAH through smoking, via polluted ambient air, water, soil, and through consumption of food. Metabolites of PAH (OH-PAHs), such as 1-hydroxynaphthalene (1OHNapt), 1-hydroxyacenaphthene(1OHAce), 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHPy) and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3OHB[a]P) have been used as biological markers for measurements of human internal exposure to PAH. The present work aims to quantify the urinary metabolites of PAH, namely 1OHNapt, 1OHAce, 1OHPy and 3OHB[a]P in study population of firefighters. Firemen exposed to fires that occurred during 2014 season were asked to fill a post-fire questionnaire and to collect urinary samples. A control study population group was selected to collect samples of urines during the pre-fires season (winter). Among all participating firemen only healthy no-smoking subjects were considered. OH-PAHs were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Overall, 1OHNapt and 1OHAce were the most abundant OH-PAHs in firemen urine samples, accounting for approximately 90% of the total OH-PAHs. The urinary OH-PAHs in exposed firefighters were higher than those of control group. Data collected with the individual questionnaire were further used to analyse the concentrations of OH-PAH between (and within) control and exposed groups of firemen. Additionally, 1OHPy concentrations in the exposed firefighters will be compared with the available proposed guidelines

Background concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in Portuguese firemen

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants produced by the incomplete combustion of organic materials. PAHs may pose risks to human health as many of the individual compounds are cytotoxic and mutagenic to both lower and higher organisms, being some of them regarded as carcinogenic. Pyrene is by far the most characterized PAH in all sample matrices, and is classified as PAH marker of exposure while benzo(a)pyrene is considered the biomarker of carcinogenic exposure to PAHs. Among the 16 PAHs established by US EPA as priority pollutants, naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, and phenanthrene are also found in almost all the matrices. Workers from industrial settings where airborne PAH levels are high such as coke works and the primary aluminium industry, show excess rates of cancers. Firemen are also exposed to high concentrations of PAHs during firefighting; however their biomonitoring is difficult and epidemiological studies are scarce. During the last decade, the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene has been used as a biomarker of environmental and occupational exposure to PAHs. Still no standard reference or occupational guidelines are available for any urinary PAH metabolite. Within the present work, sixty healthy and no smoking Portuguese firemen from ten Portuguese corporations from the district of Bragança (North of Portugal) were evaluated regarding their levels of the most important urinary hydroxyl- PAHs

Firefighters's occupational exposure to PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

This study collected the personal PM2.5 air fraction in fifteen healthy and no-smoking firefighters during their normal shift inside four Portuguese fire stations. Indoor PM2.5 levels varied between 0.05 to 1.04 µg/m3. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known for their ubiquity and toxicity, being some of them classified as carcinogenic and possible carcinogens to humans. Firefighters’ personal PM2.5-bound total PAH concentrations ranged between 35.8 to 294 ng/m3 with total carcinogenic PAHs accounting with 12% to the total PAHs. Benzo[a]pyrene, the PAH biomarker of carcinogenicity, was detected in levels ranging from 6.74 × 10-2 to 1.00 ng/m3info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

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.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Firefighters exposure to fire emissions: Impact on levels of biomarkers of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and genotoxic/oxidative-effects

Firefighters represent one of the riskiest occupations, yet due to the logistic reasons, the respective exposure assessment is one of the most challenging. Thus, this work assessed the impact of firefighting activities on levels of urinary monohydroxyl-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OHPAHs; 1-hydroxynaphthalene, 1-hydroxyacenaphthene, 2-hydroxyfluorene, 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-hydroxypyrene, 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene) and genotoxic/oxidative-effect biomarkers (basal DNA and oxidative DNA damage) of firefighters from eight firehouses. Cardiac frequency, blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation were also monitored. OHPAHs were determined by liquid-chromatography with fluorescence detection, while genotoxic/oxidative-effect biomarkers were assessed by the comet assay. Concentrations of total OHPAHs were up to 340% higher (p≤0.05) in (nonsmoking and smoking) exposed workers than in control subjects (non-smoking and non-exposed to combat activities); the highest increments were observed for 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 1-hydroxyacenaphthene (82–88% of ΣOHPAHs), and for 2-hydroxyfluorene (5–15%). Levels of biomarker for oxidative stress were increased in non-smoking exposed workers than in control group (316%; p≤0.001); inconclusive results were found for DNA damage. Positive correlations were found between the cardiac frequency, ΣOHPAHs and the oxidative DNA damage of non-smoking (non-exposed and exposed) firefighters. Evidences were raised regarding the simultaneous use of these biomarkers for the surveillance of firefighters’ health and to better estimate the potential short-term health risks.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Impact of Sleep on Haematological Parameters in Firefighters

Sleep is a vital process that impacts biological functions such as cell renewal, bone regeneration, and immune system support. Disrupted sleep can interrupt erythropoiesis, leading to fewer red blood cells, reduced haemoglobin concentration, and decreased haematocrit levels, potentially contributing to haematological disorders. This is particularly concerning for shift workers for example firefighters. While previous studies have explored sleep’s adverse effects on various professions, research specific to firefighters is limited. This study investigates the relationship between sleep quality and haematological parameters among firefighters in Northeast Portugal. From a sample of 201 firefighters, variations in red blood cells, haemoglobin, and haematocrit values were linked to sleep quality. The study utilised non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, Spearman’s correlation) to explore the connection between sleep quality and haematological profile. The impact of covariates on haematological parameters was assessed using non-parametric ANCOVA (Quade’s). A multiple regression analysis was employed to further understand how sleep quality and various confounding variables impact haematological levels. Findings suggest a negative link between sleep quality and haematological levels, meaning that as sleep quality deteriorates, there is a tendency for haematological levels to decrease, as indicated by Spearman’s correlation (rRBC = −0.157, pRBC = 0.026; rHb = −0.158, pHb = 0.025; rHCT = −0.175, pHCT = 0.013). As observed in scientific literature, the correlation found suggests a possible inhibition of erythropoiesis, the process responsible for red blood cell production. Despite firefighters presenting a haematological profile within the reference range (RBC: 5.1 × 106/mm3 (SD ± 0.4), Hb: 15.6 g/dL (SD ± 1.3), 47% (SD ± 1.0), there is already an observable trend towards lower levels. The analysis of co-variables did not reveal a significant impact of sleep quality on haematological levels. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of sleep quality in determining haematological parameters among firefighters. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms and long-term implications of poor sleep quality on firefighter health. Exploring interventions to enhance sleep quality is vital for evidence-based strategies promoting firefighter well-being.This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the project PCIF/SSO/0017/2018 and through National funds via FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC), CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020), and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020). http://doi.org/10.54499/PCIF/SSO/0017/2018

Contribution of traffic and tobacco smoke in the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on outdoor and indoor PM2.5

Traffic emissions and tobacco smoke are considered two main sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor and outdoor air. In this study, the impact of these sources on the level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and on the distribution of 15 PAHs regarded as priority pollutants by the US-EPA on PM2.5 were evaluated and compared. Outdoor and indoor PM2.5 samples were collected during winter 2008 in Oporto city in Portugal, for sampling periods of 12 and 24 hours, respectively. The outdoor PM2.5 were sampled at one site directly influenced by traffic emissions and the indoor PM2.5 samples were collected at one home directly influenced by tobacco smoke and another one without smoke. A methodology based on microwave-assisted extraction and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was applied for the efficient PAHs determination in indoor and outdoor PM2.5. PAHs in indoor PM2.5 concentrations were significantly influenced by the presence of traffic and tobacco smoking emissions. The mean of ΣPAHs in the outdoor traffic PM2.5 was not significantly different from the value attained in the indoor without smoking site. The tobacco smoke increased significantly PAHs concentrations on average about 1000 times more, when compared with the outdoor profile samples suggesting that tobacco smoking may be the most important source of indoor PAHs pollution