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P-350 FIREFIGHTERS´ OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND ESTIMATION OF ASSOCIATED HEALTH RISKS: AN OVERVIEW OF EUROPEAN DATA

2024; Oxford University Press; Volume: 74; Issue: Supplement_1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/occmed/kqae023.0967

1471-8405

Joana Teixeira, Pedro R. Almeida, Alice Santos‐Silva, Paulo Costa, Simone Morais, Cristina Delerue‐Matos, Francisca Rodrigues, Marta Oliveira,

Occupational exposure and asthma

Abstract Introduction The occurrence and severity of wildfires, with hotter and longer fire seasons, have increased due to global warming and climatic changes, particularly in Southern European countries. Occupational exposure as a firefighter is carcinogenic to humans due to the development of bladder cancer and mesothelioma. This activity is genotoxic, induces epigenetic alterations, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. Participation in prolonged fire season can promote firefighters’ health burden. However, the exposure assessment of European firefighting forces remains limited. Methods This work presents an overview of available data related to firefighters’ exposure assessment in Europe and explores the estimated health risks. Results and Discussion Overall, available data demonstrate the exposure to health-relevant pollutants, e.g., fine/ultrafine particulate matter, metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at fire stations’ microenvironments and during firefighting activities. Moreover, salivary, and urinary biomarkers of exposure as well as biomarkers of early health effects were increased in firefighters involved in firefighting. Some studies reported firefighters´ occupational exposure levels higher than the available recommended benchmark values, even when adequate personal protective equipment was used during fire combat. Conclusion Further studies with a more extensive exposure assessment among European firefighters are needed to contribute to the proposal and implementation of preventive measures and highlight future mitigation strategies. Funding: This work was funded by project PCIF/SSO/0090/2019 by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (FCT-MCTES), through national funds. Acknowledgments: This work received support from UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, LA/P/0008/2020, 2022.05381.PTDC, and PCIF/SSO/0017/2018 by FCT-MCTES. M. Oliveira and F. Rodrigues are thankful for the scientific contracts CEECIND/03666/2017 and CEECIND/01886/2020, respectively.