Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39330605›Full record

ArticleToxics2024

Occupational Exposure of On-Shift Ottawa Firefighters to Flame Retardants and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

William Papas, Rocio Aranda-Rodriguez, Xinghua Fan, Cariton Kubwabo, Janet S L Lee, Emma Fantin, Elita D Zheng, Jennifer L A Keir, Dave Matschke, Jules M Blais and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Toxics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

William PapasEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.
Rocio Aranda-RodriguezEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.ORCID 0009-0008-4848-6667
Xinghua FanEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.
Cariton KubwaboEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-6150-047X
Janet S L LeeEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.
Emma FantinEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.ORCID 0009-0000-0747-1620
Elita D ZhengEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.
Jennifer L A KeirDepartment of Biology, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Dave MatschkeOttawa Fire Services, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7L9, Canada.
Jules M BlaisDepartment of Biology, University of Ottawa. Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Paul A WhiteEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0K9, Canada.

Funding

Health Canada Not applicable
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Firefighters can be exposed to complex mixtures of airborne substances, including hazardous substances released during structural fires. This study employed silicone wristbands (SWBs) as passive samplers to investigate potential exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and flame retardants (FRs). SWBs were deployed at different areas of four fire stations, in four truck cabins, and at an office control location; they were also donned outside the jackets of 18 firefighters who responded to fire calls. Overall, office areas had significantly lower PAHs than fire station areas. Vehicle bays and truck cabins had significantly higher concentrations of low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs than sleeping and living room areas. For organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPFRs), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) and tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) were detected in all the samples; 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) was more frequently detected in the fire station areas. Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) concentrations were highest in the truck cabin and office areas, and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP) was highest in truck cabins. Thirteen of 16 PAHs and nine of 36 OPFRs were detected in all the SWBs worn by firefighters, and tris (2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) was the predominant OPFR. Levels of LMW PAHs were significantly lower when firefighters did not enter the fire. LMW PAHs, HMW (high molecular weight) PAHs, and EHDPP were significantly elevated when heavy smoke was reported. This work highlights the potential for occupational exposure to PAHs and flame retardants in some fire station areas; moreover, factors that may influence exposure during fire suppression. Whilst firefighters' occupational exposure to PAHs is likely related to fire suppression and exposure to contaminated gear and trucks, exposure to OPFRs may be more related to their presence in truck interiors and electronics.

Indexed as

exposure assessmentfirefightersOPFRsPAHspassive samplerPBDEssilicone wristbands

Identifiers

PMID39330605
PMCPMC11435908

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.