Abstract
ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the BTEX group (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), and formaldehyde in the changing room, garage, alarm point, TV room and fire truck of a typical Polish fire station. The novel of this study was to identify and prioritize the sources of these pollutants in the specific indoor areas. Measurements were conducted at each point simultaneously during two different seasons: heating (08/01/2023–09/02/2023) and non-heating (24/05/2023–25/06/2023). The samples were collected passively and analysed using gas (VOCs, BTEX) and liquid (formaldehyde) chromatography. The highest concentrations of VOCs, BTEX and formaldehyde were observed in the TV room (176.7 µg/m³), garage (136.7 µg/m³) and alarm point (14.4 µg/m³), respectively. Conversely, the lowest concentrations were observed in the changing room (81.85 µg/m³), the alarm point (64.6 µg/m³) and the garage (3.8 µg/m³), based on the average results from both measurement seasons. The same sources of pollution, including cleaning products, cosmetics, fires, fuel combustion, vehicle maintenance equipment, combustion equipment, fire extinguishers, chemicals and finishing materials, were identified at all measurement points. The obtained results can be used in further studies to assess the health risks of firefighters exposed to poor air quality.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call