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The concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM) and the impact on indoor air quality in occupational settings remains poorly characterized. This study assesses, for the first time, the cumulative and non-cumulative concentrations of 14 fractions of coarse (3.65–9.88 μm), fine (0.156–2.47 μm), and ultrafine (0.015–0.095 μm) PM inside the garage of heavy vehicles, firefighting personal protective equipment' storage room, bar, and a common area of seven Portuguese fire stations. Sampling campaigns were performed during a regular work week at the fire stations. Levels of daily total cumulative PM ranged from 277.4 to 413.2 μg/m3 (maximum values of 811.4 μg/m3), with the bar (370.1 μg/m3) and the PPE' storage room (361.3 μg/m3) presenting slightly increased levels (p > 0.05) than the common area (324.8 μg/m3) and the garage (339.4 μg/m3). The location of the sampling site, the proximity to local industries and commercial activities, the layout of the building, the heating system used, and indoor sources influenced the PM concentrations. Fine (193.8–301.0 μg/m3) and ultrafine (41.3–78.2 μg/m3) particles were predominant in the microenvironments of all fire stations and accounted for 71.5% and 17.8% of daily total cumulative levels, respectively; coarse particles (23.3–47.1 μg/m3) represented 10.7% of total PM. The permissible exposure limit (5.0 mg/m3) defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Organization for respirable dust was not overcome in the evaluated fire stations. Results suggest firefighters' regular exposure to fine and ultrafine PM inside fire stations which will contribute to cardiorespiratory health burden. Further studies are needed to characterize firefighters' exposure to fine and ultrafine PM inside fire stations, identify main emission sources, and evaluate the contribution of exposures at fire stations to firefighters' occupational health risks. [Display omitted] • Coarse, fine and ultrafine PM were for the first time assessed at fire stations. • Location, building layout, indoor sources and heating systems impacted PM levels. • The bar and the PPE' storage room presented the highest levels of respirable PM. • Fine and ultrafine PM were the predominant fractions in all microenvironments. • OSHA guidelines were not exceeded in fire stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of six urinary monohydroxyl metabolites (OH-PAHs) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, namely 1-hydroxynaphthalene, 1-hydroxyacenaphthene, 2-hydroxyfluorene, 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHPy), and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene, were assessed in the post-shift urine of wildland firefighters involved in fire combat activities at six Portuguese fire corporations, and compared with those of non-exposed subjects. Overall, median levels of urinary individual and total OH-PAHs (ΣOH-PAHs) suggest an increased exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during firefighting activities with ΣOH-PAH levels in exposed firefighters 1.7-35 times higher than in non-exposed ones. Urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene and/or 1-hydroxyacenapthene were the predominant compounds, representing 63-98% of ΣOH-PAHs, followed by 2-hydroxyfluorene (1-17%), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (1-13%), and 1OHPy (0.3-10%). A similar profile was observed when gender discrimination was considered. Participation in fire combat activities promoted an increase of the distribution percentage of 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 1-hydroxyacenaphthene, while contributions of 1-hydroxyphenanthrene and 1OHPy decreased. The detected urinary 1OHPy concentrations (1.73×10-2 to 0.152μmol/mol creatinine in exposed subjects versus 1.21×10-2 to 5.44×10-2μmol/mol creatinine in non-exposed individuals) were lower than the benchmark level (0.5μmol/mol creatinine) proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. This compound, considered the biomarker of exposure to PAHs, was the less abundant one from the six analyzed biomarkers. Thus the inclusion of other metabolites, in addition to 1OHPy, in future studies is suggested to better estimate firefighters' occupational exposure to PAHs. Moreover, strong to moderate Spearman correlations were observed between individual compounds and ΣOH-PAHs corroborating the prevalence of an emission source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]