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Environ Int

Title:		Monitoring of firefighters exposure to smoke during fire experiments in Portugal
Author(s):		Miranda AI; Martins V; Cascao P; Amorim JH; Valente J; Tavares R; Borrego C; Tchepel O; Ferreira AJ; Cordeiro CR; Viegas DX; Ribeiro LM; Pita LP;
Address:		"CESAM & Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. miranda@ua.pt"
Journal Title:		Environ Int
Year:		2010
Volume:		20100625
Issue:		7
Page Number:		736 - 745
DOI:		10.1016/j.envint.2010.05.009
ISSN/ISBN:		1873-6750 (Electronic) 0160-4120 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Forest fires represent a serious threat to public security in Europe due to the large burned area. Moreover, smoke pollution due to forest fire events is an important public health issue for the communities directly affected, and particularly for the personnel involved in firefighting operations. Aiming to contribute to the scientific knowledge concerning firefighters exposure to forest fires smoke, data of individual exposure to carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter were obtained during experimental field fires for a group of 10 firefighters equipped with portable 'in continuum' measuring devices. Measured values are very high exceeding the Occupational Exposure Standard limits, in particular for peak limit thresholds. These are the first measurements and analysis of firefighter's individual exposure to toxic gases and particles in fire smoke experiments in Europe. However, they already indicate that urgent measures to avoid these levels of exposure are needed"
Keywords:		"Air Pollutants, Occupational/*analysis Carbon Monoxide/analysis *Environmental Monitoring Fires/*prevention & control Humans Nitrogen Dioxide/analysis Occupational Exposure/*analysis Particle Size Portugal Smoke/*analysis Volatile Organic Compounds/analys;"
Notes:		"MedlineMiranda, Ana Isabel Martins, Vera Cascao, Pedro Amorim, Jorge Humberto Valente, Joana Tavares, Richard Borrego, Carlos Tchepel, Oxana Ferreira, Antonio Jorge Cordeiro, Carlos Robalo Viegas, Domingos Xavier Ribeiro, Luis Mario Pita, Luis Paulo eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Netherlands 2010/06/29 Environ Int. 2010 Oct; 36(7):736-45. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2010.05.009. Epub 2010 Jun 25"