title: Monitoring of firefighters exposure to smoke during fire experiments in Portugal.
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.
authors.affiliation: CESAM & Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. miranda@ua.pt
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cascão
authors.forename: Jorge Humberto
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: Oxana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tchepel
authors.forename: António Jorge
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Carlos Robalo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Domingos Xavier
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Viegas
authors.forename: Luís Mário
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Luís Paulo
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pita
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005390:Fires / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D011174:Portugal; D012906:Smoke / Q000032:analysis*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012906:Smoke; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide