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The Latest Research on Toxicity of the Fire Environment on Human Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 4481

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bożena Kukfisz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Security Engineering and Civil Protection, The Main School of Fire Service, 52/54 Słowackiego Street, 01-629 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: fire safety engineering; tests of reaction to fire of materials and products; research of smoke and the toxicity generation of materials/products; flammability and explosiveness of gases; vapors and dusts; life cycle analysis; quantitative assessment of the level of risk of fire and explosion; pyrotechnics and explosives
Dr. Małgorzata Majder-Łopatka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Safety Engineering, The Main School of Fire Service, 52/54 Slowackiego Street, 01-629 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: fire safety engineering; identification of gaseous air pollutants; analysis of the toxicity of the fire environment; thermal properties of polymers; environmental monitoring; environmental protection; environmental data analysis; environmental engineering; environmental health
Prof. Dr. Ewa Rudnik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Main School of Fire Service, Institute of Safety Engineering, Słowackiego 52/54, 01-629 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: fire safety engineering; polymers; thermal degradation; ecotoxicity; thermal analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Uncontrolled combustion processes pose a significant threat to human life, health, and the environment. Every hour, somewhere in the world, an average of 8 people die as a result of fire toxicity, and hundreds suffer various types of injuries.  More and more attention is being paid to the hazards of primary and secondary pollution caused by chemical compounds and dust generated during a fire. There are clear indications of negative impacts on living organisms. Research has been conducted to show that of the products identified, costs are found in decisions taken regarding carcinogenic properties. In addition, according to quite conservative estimates, it is believed that fires are continually occurring with losses amounting to approximately 1% of the GDP of all countries in the world. Therefore, it is important to create an information exchange system and international scientific cooperation aimed at increasing the knowledge about the hazards arising from the properties of the fire environment and improving the level of safety.

This special edition of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) will focus on the current state of the relationship between the behavior of materials under simulated or real fire conditions and human health.

Here are some topics that can be considered for submission in this edition.

  1. The effect of the type of materials and the conditions of thermal decomposition and combustion on the toxicity of the fire environment
  2. The toxicity of the fire environment
  3. Primary and secondary hazards in the work environment
  4. Reaction to fire of materials and products used in civil engineering, maritime construction, and in means of transport, rail and road
  5. Degradation mechanisms of polymeric materials, wood-based, and natural materials,
  6. Fire risk assessment, risk management
  7. Material life cycle analysis
  8. Measuring systems for testing the composition of hot gas mixtures and reaction to fire tests (Euroclass). 

Descriptions of real fires and their effects are also welcome.

Dr. Bożena Kukfisz
Dr. Małgorzata Majder-Łopatka
Prof. Dr. Ewa Rudnik
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fire environment
  • combustion products
  • toxicity
  • pollution
  • ambient air quality
  • indoor air quality
  • thermal degradation
  • fire smoke
  • emission
  • poisoning
  • gaseous and particulate pahs
  • enviromental health
  • fire safety assessment
  • fire risk index
  • social costs of fires
  • life cycle analysis

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

18 pages, 3495 KiB  
Review
The Effect of Fire Smoke Exposure on Firefighters’ Lung Function: A Meta-Analysis
by Joana V. Barbosa, Mariana Farraia, Pedro T. B. S. Branco, Maria Conceição M. Alvim-Ferraz, Fernando G. Martins, Isabella Annesi-Maesano and Sofia I. V. Sousa
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16799; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416799 - 14 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1960
Abstract
Firefighters are exposed to a range of harmful substances during firefighting. Exposure to fire smoke has been associated with a decrease in their lung function. However, the cause–effect relationship between those two factors is not yet demonstrated. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Firefighters are exposed to a range of harmful substances during firefighting. Exposure to fire smoke has been associated with a decrease in their lung function. However, the cause–effect relationship between those two factors is not yet demonstrated. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the potential associations between firefighters’ occupational exposure and their lung function deterioration. Studies were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases (August 1990–March 2021). The studies were included when reporting the lung function values of Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1) or Forced Vital Capacity (FVC). The meta-analyses were performed using the generic inverse variance in R software with a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was used to determine if the lung function was influenced by a potential study effect or by the participants’ characteristics. A total of 5562 participants from 24 studies were included. No significant difference was found between firefighters’ predicted FEV1 from wildland, 97.64% (95% CI: 91.45–103.82%; I2 = 99%), and urban fires, 99.71% (95% CI: 96.75–102.67%; I2 = 98%). Similar results were found for the predicted FVC. Nevertheless, the mean values of firefighters’ predicted lung function varied significantly among studies, suggesting many confounders, such as trials’ design, statistical methods, methodologies applied, firefighters’ daily exposure and career length, hindering an appropriate comparison between the studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Latest Research on Toxicity of the Fire Environment on Human Health)
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12 pages, 1854 KiB  
Review
Analysis of the Flammability and the Mechanical and Electrostatic Discharge Properties of Selected Personal Protective Equipment Used in Oxygen-Enriched Atmosphere in a State of Epidemic Emergency
by Adriana Dowbysz, Bożena Kukfisz, Dorota Siuta, Mariola Samsonowicz, Andrzej Maranda, Wojciech Kiciński and Wojciech Wróblewski
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11453; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811453 - 12 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2145
Abstract
Numerous fires occurring in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the dangers of the existence of an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. At oxygen concentrations higher than 21%, fires spread faster and more vigorously; thus, the safety of healthcare workers and patients is significantly reduced. Personal [...] Read more.
Numerous fires occurring in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the dangers of the existence of an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. At oxygen concentrations higher than 21%, fires spread faster and more vigorously; thus, the safety of healthcare workers and patients is significantly reduced. Personal protective equipment (PPE) made mainly from plastics is combustible and directly affects their safety. The aim of this study was to assess its fire safety in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. The thermodynamic properties, fire, and burning behavior of the selected PPE were studied, as well as its mechanical and electrostatic discharge properties. Cotton and disposable aprons were classified as combustible according to their LOI values of 17.17% and 17.39%, respectively. Conall Health A (23.37%) and B/C (23.51%) aprons and the Prion Guard suit (24.51%) were classified as self-extinguishing. The cone calorimeter test revealed that the cotton apron ignites the fastest (at 10 s), while for the polypropylene PPE, flaming combustion starts between 42 and 60 s. The highest peak heat release rates were observed for the disposable apron (62.70 kW/m2), Prion Guard suit (61.57 kW/m2), and the cotton apron (62.81 kW/m2). The mean CO yields were the lowest for these PPEs. Although the Conall Health A and B/C aprons exhibited lower pHRR values, their toxic CO yield values were the highest. The most durable fabrics of the highest maximum tensile strength were the cotton apron (592.1 N) and the Prion Guard suit (274.5 N), which also exhibited the lowest electrification capability. Both fabrics showed the best abrasion resistance of 40,000 and 38,000 cycles, respectively. The abrasion values of other fabrics were significantly lower. The research revealed that the usage of PPE made from polypropylene in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere may pose a fire risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Latest Research on Toxicity of the Fire Environment on Human Health)
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