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Johnston FH, Williamson G, Borchers-Arriagada N, Henderson SB, Bowman DMJS. Climate Change, Landscape Fires, and Human Health: A Global Perspective. Annu Rev Public Health 2024; 45:295-314. [PMID: 38166500 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-060222-034131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Landscape fires are an integral component of the Earth system and a feature of prehistoric, subsistence, and industrial economies. Specific spatiotemporal patterns of landscape fire occur in different locations around the world, shaped by the interactions between environmental and human drivers of fire activity. Seven distinct types of landscape fire emerge from these interactions: remote area fires, wildfire disasters, savanna fires, Indigenous burning, prescribed burning, agricultural burning, and deforestation fires. All can have substantial impacts on human health and well-being directly and indirectly through (a) exposure to heat flux (e.g., injuries and destructive impacts), (b) emissions (e.g., smoke-related health impacts), and (c) altered ecosystem functioning (e.g., biodiversity, amenity, water quality, and climate impacts). Minimizing the adverse effects of landscape fires on population health requires understanding how human and environmental influences on fire impacts can be modified through interventions targeted at individual, community, and regional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia;
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre for Safe Air, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Grant Williamson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre for Safe Air, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Sarah B Henderson
- Environmental Health Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David M J S Bowman
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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2
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Kiely L, Neyestani SE, Binte-Shahid S, York RA, Porter WC, Barsanti KC. California Case Study of Wildfires and Prescribed Burns: PM 2.5 Emissions, Concentrations, and Implications for Human Health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:5210-5219. [PMID: 38483184 PMCID: PMC10976878 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Wildfires are a significant threat to human health, in part through degraded air quality. Prescribed burning can reduce wildfire severity but can also lead to an increase in air pollution. The complexities of fires and atmospheric processes lead to uncertainties when predicting the air quality impacts of fire and make it difficult to fully assess the costs and benefits of an expansion of prescribed fire. By modeling differences in emissions, surface conditions, and meteorology between wildfire and prescribed burns, we present a novel comparison of the air quality impacts of these fire types under specific scenarios. One wildfire and two prescribed burn scenarios were considered, with one prescribed burn scenario optimized for potential smoke exposure. We found that PM2.5 emissions were reduced by 52%, from 0.27 to 0.14 Tg, when fires burned under prescribed burn conditions, considerably reducing PM2.5 concentrations. Excess short-term mortality from PM2.5 exposure was 40 deaths for fires under wildfire conditions and 39 and 15 deaths for fires under the default and optimized prescribed burn scenarios, respectively. Our findings suggest prescribed burns, particularly when planned during conditions that minimize smoke exposure, could be a net benefit for the impacts of wildfires on air quality and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kiely
- Chemical
and Environmental Engineering, University
of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Now
at: Scion, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
| | - Soroush E. Neyestani
- Department
of Environmental Sciences, University of
California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Samiha Binte-Shahid
- Chemical
and Environmental Engineering, University
of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Robert A. York
- Department
of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - William C. Porter
- Department
of Environmental Sciences, University of
California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Kelley C. Barsanti
- Chemical
and Environmental Engineering, University
of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Atmospheric
Chemistry Observations and Modeling, U.S.
National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 80301, United States
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3
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Bralewska K. Air pollution inside fire stations: State-of-the-art and future challenges. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 255:114289. [PMID: 37976582 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Firefighters are frequently exposed to products of combustion and pyrolysis. Exposure to these substances occurs not only during fires but also at fire stations, particularly where fire equipment and fire uniforms are stored after firefighting operations. The aims of this study were to review the research on the concentrations of various air pollutants in fire stations, identify the limitations and strengths of such research, identify research gaps and related future challenges, and highlight potential solutions for reducing firefighter exposure to air pollution at fire stations. A total of 32 articles published in international journals during 1987-2023 were selected for analysis. The most frequently studied pollutants in fire stations were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and diesel particulate matter. Research was most often conducted on changing rooms and garages. Firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, fire trucks, and combustion tools were identified as the main sources of pollution at fire stations. Recommendations aimed at reducing the concentration of pollutants in fire stations were mainly concerned with the systematic decontamination of equipment and the introduction of ventilation solutions that would remove exhaust fumes from garages. This in-depth literature review indicates a lack of comprehensive research on the state and quality of air at fire stations. It also highlights the emerging need for more knowledge on the concentrations of air pollutants in fire stations, health exposure related to these substances, and an analysis of the effectiveness of the proposed solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Bralewska
- Institute of Safety Engineering, Fire University (formerly Main School of Fire Service), 52/54 Slowackiego Street, Warsaw, 01-629, Poland.
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4
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Li Q, Zhang K, Li R, Yang L, Yi Y, Liu Z, Zhang X, Feng J, Wang Q, Wang W, Huang L, Wang Y, Wang S, Chen H, Chan A, Latif MT, Ooi MCG, Manomaiphiboon K, Yu J, Li L. Underestimation of biomass burning contribution to PM 2.5 due to its chemical degradation based on hourly measurements of organic tracers: A case study in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162071. [PMID: 36775179 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biomass burning (BB) has significant impacts on air quality and climate change, especially during harvest seasons. In previous studies, levoglucosan was frequently used for the calculation of BB contribution to PM2.5, however, the degradation of levoglucosan (Lev) could lead to large uncertainties. To quantify the influence of the degradation of Lev on the contribution of BB to PM2.5, PM2.5-bound biomass burning-derived markers were measured in Changzhou from November 2020 to March 2021 using the thermal desorption aerosol gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TAG-GC/MS) system. Temporal variations of three anhydro-sugar BB tracers (e.g., levoglucosan, mannosan (Man), and galactosan (Gal)) were obtained. During the sampling period, the degradation level of air mass (x) was 0.13, indicating that ~87 % of levoglucosan had degraded before sampling in Changzhou. Without considering the degradation of levoglucosan in the atmosphere, the contribution of BB to OC were 7.8 %, 10.2 %, and 9.3 % in the clean period, BB period, and whole period, respectively, which were 2.4-2.6 times lower than those (20.8 %-25.9 %) considered levoglucosan degradation. This illustrated that the relative contribution of BB to OC could be underestimated (~14.9 %) without considering degradation of levoglucosan. Compared to the traditional method (i.e., only using K+ as BB tracer), organic tracers (Lev, Man, Gal) were put into the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model in this study. With the addition of BB organic tracers and replaced K+ with K+BB (the water-soluble potassium produced by biomass burning), the overall contribution of BB to PM2.5 was enhanced by 3.2 % after accounting for levoglucosan degradation based on the PMF analysis. This study provides useful information to better understand the effect of biomass burning on the air quality in the Yangtze River Delta region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liumei Yang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Yi
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Jiangsu Changhuan Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaojuan Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Jiangsu Changhuan Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jialiang Feng
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiongqiong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wu Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Huang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangjun Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shunyao Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Chen
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Andy Chan
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Talib Latif
- Department of Earth Science and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Maggie Chel Gee Ooi
- Institute of Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kasemsan Manomaiphiboon
- The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jianzhen Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China; Division of Environment & Sustainability, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Li Li
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
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5
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Barros B, Oliveira M, Morais S. Biomonitoring of firefighting forces: a review on biomarkers of exposure to health-relevant pollutants released from fires. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2023; 26:127-171. [PMID: 36748115 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2023.2172119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposure as a firefighter has recently been classified as a carcinogen to humans by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Biomonitoring has been increasingly used to characterize exposure of firefighting forces to contaminants. However, available data are dispersed and information on the most relevant and promising biomarkers in this context of firefighting is missing. This review presents a comprehensive summary and critical appraisal of existing biomarkers of exposure including volatile organic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, several other persistent other organic pollutants as well as heavy metals and metalloids detected in biological fluids of firefighters attending different fire scenarios. Urine was the most characterized matrix, followed by blood. Firefighters exhaled breath and saliva were poorly evaluated. Overall, biological levels of compounds were predominantly increased in firefighters after participation in firefighting activities. Biomonitoring studies combining different biomarkers of exposure and of effect are currently limited but exploratory findings are of high interest. However, biomonitoring still has some unresolved major limitations since reference or recommended values are not yet established for most biomarkers. In addition, half-lives values for most of the biomarkers have thus far not been defined, which significantly hampers the design of studies. These limitations need to be tackled urgently to improve risk assessment and support implementation of better more effective preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bela Barros
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Oliveira
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Simone Morais
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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6
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Ragbir P, Kaduwela A, Passovoy D, Amin P, Ye S, Wallis C, Alaimo C, Young T, Kong Z. UAV-Based Wildland Fire Air Toxics Data Collection and Analysis. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:3561. [PMID: 37050621 PMCID: PMC10098707 DOI: 10.3390/s23073561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Smoke plumes emitted from wildland-urban interface (WUI) wildfires contain toxic chemical substances that are harmful to human health, mainly due to the burning of synthetic components. Accurate measurement of these air toxics is necessary for understanding their impacts on human health. However, air pollution is typically measured using ground-based sensors, manned airplanes, or satellites, which all provide low-resolution data. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to provide high-resolution spatial and temporal data due to their ability to hover in specific locations and maneuver with precise trajectories in 3-D space. This study investigates the use of an octocopter UAV, equipped with a customized air quality sensor package and a volatile organic compound (VOC) air sampler, for the purposes of collecting and analyzing air toxics data from wildfire plumes. The UAV prototype developed has been successfully tested during several prescribed fires conducted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Data from these experiments were analyzed with emphasis on the relationship between the air toxics measured and the different types of vegetation/fuel burnt. BTEX compounds were found to be more abundant for hardwood burning compared to grassland burning, as expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhash Ragbir
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (P.R.); (P.A.); (S.Y.)
| | - Ajith Kaduwela
- Air Quality Research Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (A.K.); (C.W.)
| | - David Passovoy
- California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 715 P St., Sacramento, CA 95814, USA;
| | - Preet Amin
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (P.R.); (P.A.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shuchen Ye
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (P.R.); (P.A.); (S.Y.)
| | - Christopher Wallis
- Air Quality Research Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (A.K.); (C.W.)
| | - Christopher Alaimo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.); (T.Y.)
| | - Thomas Young
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.); (T.Y.)
| | - Zhaodan Kong
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (P.R.); (P.A.); (S.Y.)
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7
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Orysiak J, Młynarczyk M, Piec R, Jakubiak A. Lifestyle and environmental factors may induce airway and systemic inflammation in firefighters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:73741-73768. [PMID: 36094704 PMCID: PMC9465149 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22479-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Health status depends on multiple genetic and non-genetic factors. Nonheritable factors (such as lifestyle and environmental factors) have stronger impact on immune responses than genetic factors. Firefighters work is associated with exposure to air pollution and heat stress, as well as: extreme physical effort, mental stress, or a changed circadian rhythm, among others. All these factors can contribute to both, short-term and long-term impairment of the physical and mental health of firefighters. Increased levels of some inflammatory markers, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines or C-reactive protein (CRP) have been observed in firefighters, which can lead to local, acute inflammation that promotes a systemic inflammatory response. It is worth emphasizing that inflammation is one of the main hallmarks of cancer and also plays a key role in the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This article presents possible causes of the development of an inflammatory reaction in firefighters, with particular emphasis on airway inflammation caused by smoke exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Orysiak
- Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Czerniakowska St. 16, 00-701, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Młynarczyk
- Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Czerniakowska St. 16, 00-701, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Piec
- Institute of Internal Security, The Main School of Fire Service, Słowackiego St. 52/54, 01-629, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Jakubiak
- Department of Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki and Wigury St. 61, 02-091, Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Johnson MM, Garcia‐Menendez F. Uncertainty in Health Impact Assessments of Smoke From a Wildfire Event. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000526. [PMID: 35024532 PMCID: PMC8724531 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires cause elevated air pollution that can be detrimental to human health. However, health impact assessments associated with emissions from wildfire events are subject to uncertainty arising from different sources. Here, we quantify and compare major uncertainties in mortality and morbidity outcomes of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution estimated for a series of wildfires in the Southeastern U.S. We present an approach to compare uncertainty in estimated health impacts specifically due to two driving factors, wildfire-related smoke PM2.5 fields and variability in concentration-response parameters from epidemiologic studies of ambient and smoke PM2.5. This analysis, focused on the 2016 Southeastern wildfires, suggests that emissions from these fires had public health consequences in North Carolina. Using several methods based on publicly available monitor data and atmospheric models to represent wildfire-attributable PM2.5, we estimate impacts on several health outcomes and quantify associated uncertainty. Multiple concentration-response parameters derived from studies of ambient and wildfire-specific PM2.5 are used to assess health-related uncertainty. Results show large variability and uncertainty in wildfire impact estimates, with comparable uncertainties due to the smoke pollution fields and health response parameters for some outcomes, but substantially larger health-related uncertainty for several outcomes. Consideration of these uncertainties can support efforts to improve estimates of wildfire impacts and inform fire-related decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M. Johnson
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental EngineeringNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Fernando Garcia‐Menendez
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental EngineeringNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
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9
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Afrin S, Garcia-Menendez F. Potential impacts of prescribed fire smoke on public health and socially vulnerable populations in a Southeastern U.S. state. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148712. [PMID: 34323750 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Prescribed fire is an essential tool for wildfire risk mitigation and ecosystem restoration in the Southeastern United States. It is also one of the region's largest sources of atmospheric emissions. The public health impacts of prescribed fire smoke, however, remain uncertain. Here, we use digital burn permit records, reduced-complexity air quality modeling, and epidemiological associations between fine particulate matter concentrations and multiple health endpoints to assess the impacts of prescribed burning on public health across Georgia. Additionally, we examine the social vulnerability of populations near high prescribed burning activity using a demographic- and socioeconomic-based index. The analysis identifies spatial clusters of burning activity in the state and finds that areas with intense prescribed fire have levels of social vulnerability that are over 25% higher than the state average. The results also suggest that the impacts of burning in Georgia can potentially include hundreds of annual morbidity and mortality cases associated with smoke pollution. These health impacts are concentrated in areas with higher fractions of low socioeconomic status, elderly, and disabled residents, particularly vulnerable to air pollution. Estimated smoke-related health incidence rates are over 3 times larger than the state average in spatial clusters of intense burning activity, and over 40% larger in spatial clusters of high social vulnerability. Spatial clusters of low social vulnerability experience substantially lower negative health effects from prescribed burning relative to the rest of the state. The health burden of smoke from prescribed burns in the state is comparable to that estimated for other major emission sectors, such as vehicles and industrial combustion. Within spatial clusters of socially-vulnerable populations, the impacts of prescribed fire considerably outweigh those of other emission sectors. These findings call for greater attention to the air quality impacts of prescribed burning in the Southeastern U.S. and the communities most exposed to fire-related smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Afrin
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
| | - Fernando Garcia-Menendez
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States.
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10
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Barros B, Oliveira M, Morais S. Firefighters' occupational exposure: Contribution from biomarkers of effect to assess health risks. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106704. [PMID: 34161906 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Firefighting is physically and physiologically exhausting besides encompassing exposure to toxic fire emissions. Biomonitoring studies from the past five years have been significantly contributing to characterize the occupational-related health effects in this group of professionals and to improve risk assessment. Therefore, this study gathers and critically discusses the most characterized biomarkers of effect (oxidative stress, DNA and protein damage, stress hormones, inflammation, and vascular, lung, and liver injury), including those potentially more promising to be explored in future studies, and their relation with health outcomes. Various studies proved an association between exposures to fire emissions and/or heat and significantly altered values of biomarkers of inflammation (soluble adhesion molecules, tumor necrosis factor, interleukins, and leucocyte count), vascular damage and tissue injury (pentraxin-3, vascular endothelial growth factor, and cardiac troponin T) in firefighting forces. Moreover, preliminary data of DNA damage in blood, urinary mutagenicity and 8-isoprostaglandin in exhaled breath condensate suggest that these biomarkers of oxidative stress should be further explored. However, most of the reported studies are based on cross-sectional designs, which limit full identification and characterization of the risk factors and their association with development of work-related diseases. Broader studies based on longitudinal designs and strongly supported by the analysis of several types of biomarkers in different biological fluids are further required to gain deeper insights into the firefighters occupational related health hazards and contribute to implementation of new or improved surveillance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bela Barros
- REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto
| | - Marta Oliveira
- REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto
| | - Simone Morais
- REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto.
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11
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Chen LWA, Chow JC, Wang X, Cao J, Mao J, Watson JG. Brownness of Organic Aerosol over the United States: Evidence for Seasonal Biomass Burning and Photobleaching Effects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:8561-8572. [PMID: 34129328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c08706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Light-absorptivity of organic aerosol may play an important role in visibility and climate forcing, but it has not been assessed as extensively as black carbon (BC) aerosol. Based on multiwavelength thermal/optical analysis and spectral mass balance, this study quantifies BC for the U.S. Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network while developing a brownness index (γBr) for non-BC organic carbon (OC*) to illustrate the spatiotemporal trends of light-absorbing brown carbon (BrC) content. OC* light absorption efficiencies range from 0 to 3.1 m2 gC-1 at 405 nm, corresponding to the lowest and highest BrC content of 0 and 100%, respectively. BC, OC*, and γBr explain >97% of the variability of measured spectral light absorption (405-980 nm) across 158 IMPROVE sites. Network-average OC* light absorptions at 405 nm are 50 and 28% those for BC over rural and urban areas, respectively. Larger organic fractions of light absorption occur in winter, partially due to higher organic brownness. Winter γBr exhibits a dramatic regional/urban-rural contrast consistent with anthropogenic BrC emissions from residential wood combustion. The spatial differences diminish to uniformly low γBr in summer, suggesting effective BrC photobleaching over the midlatitudes. An empirical relationship between BC, ambient temperature, and γBr is established, which can facilitate the incorporation of organic aerosol absorptivity into climate and visibility models that currently assume either zero or static organic light absorption efficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lung-Wen Antony Chen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, United States
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - Judith C Chow
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
- Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaoliang Wang
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - Junji Cao
- Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Jingqiu Mao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - John G Watson
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
- Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
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Watson JG, Cao J, Wang X, Chow JC. PM 2.5 pollution in China's Guanzhong Basin and the USA's San Joaquin Valley mega-regions. Faraday Discuss 2021; 226:255-289. [PMID: 33877224 DOI: 10.1039/d0fd00094a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The Guanzhong Basin (GZB) of northwest China is examined as a mega-region containing the mega-city of Xi'an. The concept of a "mega-region" is more accurate than that of a "mega-city" for air quality management as there is an interaction between urban and non-urban emissions. Parallels are drawn between the GZB and the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) mega-region of central California for excessive wintertime PM2.5 concentrations. Long-term chemical composition measurements show the usual high levels of organic and elemental carbon, minerals, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium. Wintertime provides prolonged high pressure systems in both areas punctuated by unstable precipitation events. Sluggish nighttime winds allow pollutants such as ammonia from distant agricultural operations, to mix with urban pollutants, sometimes serving as a reactor to create secondary sulfates and nitrates, and possibly some secondary organic compounds. A shallow surface layer forms at night in the SJV and GZB that couples to an upper level inversion after sunrise, allowing pollutants accumulated aloft to mix to the surface. Although current air quality management strategies have focused on urban emissions, and PM2.5 levels are on a downward trend, future management efforts must consider reducing emissions from a variety of sources in the larger region of these basins. Agricultural emissions are important in the SJV, but are just being addressed in the GZB. Tactics developed for the SJV would probably be effective in other areas of the world with similar emissions, topography, and meteorology. Experiments related to agricultural NOx emissions, emission inventory enhancements, source apportionment, and estimates of precursor limitations for ammonium nitrate formation, have been conducted in the SJV that can be tested in the GZB.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Watson
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA.
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