Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Ontario Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J Occup Environ Hyg. 2023 Feb;20(2):84-94. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2022.2150768. Epub 2023 Jan 23.
Firefighters are exposed to carcinogenic and mutagenic combustion emissions, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Fire service and firefighter cancer advocacy groups recommend skin cleaning using wipes or washing with detergent and water after exposure to smoke, although these strategies have not been proven to reduce exposures to harmful combustion products such as PAHs. This study assessed dermal decontamination methods to reduce PAH exposures by firefighters participating in live fire training scenarios. Study participants ( = 88) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (i.e., two types of commercial skin wipes, detergent and water, or a control group who did not use any skin decontamination). PAHs were measured in personal air (during the fire) and dermal wipe samples (before and after fire suppression and after dermal decontamination). PAH metabolites and mutagenicity were measured in urine samples before and after fire suppression. Airborne PAH concentrations during the fire ranged between 200 and 3,970 μg/m (mean = 759 μg/m, = 685 μg/m). Firefighters had higher total PAHs and high-molecular-weight PAHs on their skin after the fire compared to before (1.3- and 2.2-fold, respectively, < 0.01). Urinary PAH metabolites increased significantly following exposure to the training fires by 1.7 to 2.2-fold (depending on the metabolite, < 0.001). Urinary mutagenicity did not differ significantly between pre- and post-fire for any of the decontamination methods. Detergent and water was the only intervention that removed a significant amount of total PAHs from the skin (0.72 ng/cm preintervention vs. 0.38 ng/cm postintervention, < 0.01). However, fold changes in urinary PAH metabolites (i.e., pre- vs. post-exposure levels) did not differ among any of the dermal decontamination methods or the control group. These data suggest that despite on-site attempts to remove PAHs from firefighters' skin, the examined interventions did not reduce the internal dose of PAHs. Future work should investigate preventing initial exposure using other interventions, such as improved personal protective equipment.
消防员会接触到致癌和致突变的燃烧排放物，包括多环芳烃（PAHs）。消防服务和消防员癌症倡导组织建议在暴露于烟雾后使用擦拭物或用清洁剂和水清洗皮肤，但这些策略尚未被证明可以减少对多环芳烃等有害燃烧产物的暴露。本研究评估了消防员在参与真火训练场景时减少 PAH 暴露的皮肤去污方法。研究参与者（n=88）被随机分配到干预组（即两种商业皮肤擦拭物、清洁剂和水，或未使用任何皮肤去污的对照组）。在真火训练期间，个人空气（在火灾期间）和皮肤擦拭物样本（在扑灭火灾前后和皮肤去污后）中测量 PAHs。在扑灭火灾前后测量尿液样本中的 PAH 代谢物和致突变性。火灾期间空气中的 PAH 浓度在 200 至 3970μg/m 之间（平均值为 759μg/m，n=685μg/m）。与扑灭火灾前相比，消防员的皮肤中总 PAHs 和高分子量 PAHs 更高（分别为 1.3 倍和 2.2 倍，p<0.01）。暴露于训练火灾后，尿液中 PAH 代谢物显著增加 1.7 至 2.2 倍（取决于代谢物，p<0.001）。使用任何去污方法，扑灭火灾前后尿液致突变性均无显著差异。清洁剂和水是唯一能从皮肤上清除大量总 PAHs 的干预措施（干预前为 0.72ng/cm，干预后为 0.38ng/cm，p<0.01）。然而，尿液中 PAH 代谢物的倍数变化（即暴露前与暴露后的水平）在任何皮肤去污方法或对照组之间均无差异。这些数据表明，尽管消防员在现场试图从皮肤上去除 PAHs，但所检查的干预措施并未降低 PAHs 的体内剂量。未来的工作应该研究使用其他干预措施（如改进的个人防护设备）来防止初始暴露。
