10:15am - 10:30amWE1-5: 1
Firefighter exposure to PAHs and BC during prescribed burns and wildfires
Jordina Gili1,2, Mar Viana3,1, Barend L. van Drooge1
1Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research – Spanish Research Council (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain; 2PhD program of Analytical Chemistry and Environment, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; 3Pollution Prevention Unit, Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Madrid, Spain
Prescribed burns reduce wildfire risks but expose firefighters to hazardous pollutants like PAHs and black carbon (BC). This study analyzed BC and PAH exposure in 35 samples from Catalonia (2022–2024), finding that torchers faced the highest exposure (mean BC: 69 µg/m³, PAHs: 394 ng/m³), while truck drivers had the lowest. BC correlated strongly with PAHs, suggesting its use as a monitoring proxy. Torch operators' cancer risk exceeded safety thresholds by 3.5–4.3 times. Findings highlight the need for improved respiratory protection and safety measures to reduce health risks for firefighters in fire-prone regions.
10:30am - 10:45amWE1-5: 2
Source apportionment and carcinogenic risk assessment for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their oxygenated (oxy-PAHs) and nitrated (nitro-PAHs) derivatives, in a city impacted by residential Biomass Burning
Irini Tsiodra1, Georgios Grivas1, Kalliopi Tavernaraki2, Constantine Parinos3, Despina Paraskevopoulou1, Maria Tsagkaraki2, Eleni Liakakou1, Aikaterini Bougiatioti1, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos1,2
1Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Koufou, P. Penteli, Athens, 15236, Greece; 2Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Greece; 3Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, 190 13 Anavyssos, Attiki, Greece
Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs: PAHs and their oxygenated and nitrated derivatives – OPAHs and NPAHs), organic molecules originating from incomplete combustion activities with severe impact on human health, were used in source apportionment study in a Greek urban center severely impacted by residential BB.The combination of PAC source assessment using receptor modeling with carcinogenic exposure assessment using an expanded dataset of toxicity-equivalent factors (TEFs) permits source-specific carcinogenic risk assessment (BaPeq).The major PAC source was Biomass burning (>80%), proving that mitigation strategies for residential BB activities could significantly improve the city’s air quality and help attain the EU BaP standard.
10:45am - 11:00amWE1-5: 3
Air pollution in residential areas: Role of wood-stove exhausts from domestic heating regarding ambient air UFP- and BC-concentrations
Peter Bächler1, Frederik Weis2, Sebastian Kohler2, Achim Dittler1
1Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics; 2PALAS GmbH
This study presents results of ambient air quality measurements in a residential area using a diffusion-charge based UFP-monitor (Palas) and a Black-Carbon measurement device (Aethlabs) during the winter months (December 2024 – February 2025). The measurement devices were installed at an individual home and have a high temporal resolution (1 minute) to reflect short-term (peak) exposures and the local concentration dynamics. Wood-stove exhaust as a consequence of domestic heating is a significant contributor to air pollution in residential areas. Maximum daily 1-hour-mean concentrations exceed 20 000 #/cm³ (WHO good-practice statement) on approx. 31 % of days of the measurement period.
11:00am - 11:15amWE1-5: 4
Chamber studies on VOC and fine particle emissions during mopping
Sofia Eirini Chatoutsidou1, Heidi Salonen2,3, Emmanuelle Castagnoli2, Mihalis Lazaridis1
1School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Greece; 2Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering, Finland; 3Queensland University of Technology, International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Brisbane, Australia
Floor mopping experiments were performed in a stainless steel environmental chamber. The chamber had a volume of 7.6 m3 and was equipped with an active carbon and a HEPA filter. The particle number size distribution was measured with a Partector2 (Naneos) in the size range between 10 - 300 nm, and with an OPS (TSI) in the size range between 0.3 - 10 μm. The PM2.5 mass concentration was measured with a Dust Trak II (TSI) whilst VOC measurements were performed with a Phocheck Tiger (Ion Science). Indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO2 were recorder with an IAQ Calc (TSI).
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