Characterising the ground level concentrations of harmful organic and inorganic substances released during major industrial fires, and implications for human health
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Griffiths, Simon D
Entwistle, Jane A
Kelly, Frank J
Deary, Michael E
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We report on the concentration ranges and combustion source-related emission profiles of organic and inorganic species released during 34 major industrial fires in the UK. These episodic events tend to be acute in nature and demand a rapid public health risk assessment to indicate the likely impact on exposed populations. The objective of this paper is to improve our understanding of the nature, composition and potential health impacts of emissions from major incident fires and so support the risk assessment process. Real world monitoring data was obtained from portable Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) monitoring (Gasmet DX-4030/40) carried out as part of the UK’s Air Quality in Major Incidents service. The measured substances include carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethyl benzene, acrolein, phosgene, arsine, phosphine and methyl isocyanate. We evaluate the reported concentrations against Acute Exposure Guideline Values (AEGLs) and Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs), as well as against UK, EU and WHO short-term ambient guideline values. Most exceedances of AEGL or ERPG guideline values were at levels likely only to cause discomfort to exposed populations (hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and formaldehyde), though for several substances the exceedances could have potentially given rise to more serious health effects (acrolein, phosphine, phosgene and methyl isocyanate). In the latter cases, the observed high concentrations are likely to be due to cross-interference from other substances that absorb in the mid-range of the infrared spectrum, particularly when the ground level plume is very concentrated.
Date Issued
2022-04
Date Acceptance
2022-02-16
Citation
Environment International, 2022, 162
ISSN
0160-4120
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Environment International
Volume
162
Copyright Statement
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000783262800004&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=a2bf6146997ec60c407a63945d4e92bb
Subjects
AEGL
Air quality in major incidents
Airborne emissions from industrial fires
AIR-QUALITY
EMISSIONS
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
ERPG
EXPOSURE
FTIR
GAS
Gasmet
GUIDELINE LEVELS
IDENTIFICATION
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Particulate matter
PERFORMANCE
PTR-TOF
PUBLIC-HEALTH
Science & Technology
VOCs
WASTE
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
107152
Date Publish Online
2022-02-26