Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41637151›Full record

ArticleAnnals of work exposures and health2026

PAH exposure and associated health risks can be high at a fire site both during fire and long after the fire is extinguished.

Bo Strandberg, Karin Lovén, Vilhelm Malmborg, Jennie Özdemir, Joakim Pagels, Maria Hedmer, Lina Hagvall

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of work exposures and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Bo StrandbergDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelev. 2, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Karin LovénDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelev. 2, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-3837-8124
Vilhelm MalmborgErgonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, LTH, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-4362-1646
Jennie ÖzdemirDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Scheelev. 8, 223 81 Lund, Sweden.
Joakim PagelsErgonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, LTH, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-7423-3240
Maria HedmerDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelev. 2, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-7422-2621
Lina HagvallDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelev. 2, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-9141-9215

Funding

Swedish Civil Contingency Services, MSB MSB 2021-14644Swedish Research Council FORTE 2019-00775
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has recently classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic (group 1A). Even though the occupation of firefighter is associated with high exposure to pollutants, it is challenging to carry out exposure studies to assess health risks due to the extreme conditions associated with firefighting. Routine monitoring of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via active sampling of air is thus not feasible; however, polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air samplers are robust enough to enable monitoring of PAH in occupations such as firefighting. Two measurement campaigns were carried out at a firefighter training facility in Sweden. In the first, PAH concentrations in air were measured for firefighters, observers, and post-fire workers during fire extinguishing exercises. A wide range of PAH exposures were found; firefighters' exposures were highest (8,300 to 760,000 ng m-3), followed by those of observers (1,600 to 11,000 ng m-3) and post-fire workers (120 to 3,600 ng m-3). In the second, PAH concentrations in air were measured inside 2 burned out sheds for 38 d, starting 3 h after the end of the fire extinguishing exercise. Gas-phase PAH concentrations inside the shed after the fire was extinguished subsided rapidly initially but were high even a week after the fire (3,000 ng m-3) and were 15 to 20 times higher than ambient air levels after more than a month. Mechanical agitation or stirring ashes during post-firework may lead to elevated exposure to the more carcinogenic PAHs, which have higher molecular weights. The results indicate that PAH exposure can be high at a fire site both during the fire and for weeks after the fire is extinguished. Simple preventive measures such as postponing investigation of a fire site for at least a week and wearing respiratory protection can decrease occupational exposure to PAHs.

Indexed as

Air Pollutants, OccupationalFirefightersFiresOccupational ExposurePolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsEnvironmental MonitoringFire Extinguishing SystemsHumansSwedenWorking ConditionsAir Pollutants, OccupationalPolycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbonsfirefighterforensic technicianoccupational exposurePACPAHpassive samplers PUF

Identifiers

PMID41637151
PMCPMC13017140

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Registered trials

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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.