title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at fire stations: firefighters' exposure monitoring and biomonitoring, and assessment of the contribution to total internal dose.
abstract: This work characterizes levels of eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the breathing air zone of firefighters during their regular work shift at eight Portuguese fire stations, and the firefighters' total internal dose by six urinary monohydroxyl metabolites (OH-PAHs). Total PAHs (ΣPAHs) concentrations varied widely (46.4-428ng/m3), mainly due to site specificity (urban/rural) and characteristics (age and layout) of buildings. Airborne PAHs with 2-3 rings were the most abundant (63.9-95.7% ΣPAHs). Similarly, urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 1-hydroxyacenaphthene were the predominant metabolites (66-96% ΣOH-PAHs). Naphthalene contributed the most to carcinogenic ΣPAHs (39.4-78.1%) in majority of firehouses; benzo[a]pyrene, the marker of carcinogenic PAHs, accounted with 1.5-10%. Statistically positive significant correlations (r≥0.733, p≤0.025) were observed between ΣPAHs and urinary ΣOH-PAHs for firefighters of four fire stations suggesting that, at these sites, indoor air was their major exposure source of PAHs. Firefighter's personal exposure to PAHs at Portuguese fire stations were well below the existent occupational exposure limits. Also, the quantified concentrations of post-shift urinary 1-hydroxypyrene in all firefighters were clearly lower than the benchmark level (0.5μmol/mol) recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slezakova
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Avenida D. Afonso V, 5300-121, Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Avenida D. Afonso V, 5300-121, Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Adília
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal; Universidade do Porto, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Rua das Taipas 135, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delerue-Matos
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo
authors.initials: MDC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: sbm@isep.ipp.pt.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morais
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011174:Portugal; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: 1-hydroxypyrene; Exposure; Firefighters; Monohydroxyl-PAHs (OH-PAHs); Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)