Urinary mutagenicity and other biomarkers of occupational smoke exposure of wildland firefighters and oxidative stress.

Abstract

Background: Wildland firefighters conducting prescribed burns are exposed to a complex mixture of pollutants, requiring an integrated measure of exposure. Objective: We used urinary mutagenicity to assess if systemic exposure to mutagens is higher in firefighters after working at prescribed burns versus after non-burn work days. Other biomarkers of exposure and oxidative stress markers were also measured. Methods: Using a repeated measures study design, we collected urine before, immediately after, and the morning after a work shift on prescribed burn and non-burn work days from 12 healthy subjects, and analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-isoprostane, 1-hydroxypyrene (OH-pyrene), and mutagenicity in Salmonella YG1041 +S9. Particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured by personal monitoring. Light-absorbing carbon (LAC) of PM2.5 was measured as a surrogate for black carbon exposure. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess cross-work shift changes in urinary biomarkers. Results: No significant differences occurred in creatinine-adjusted urinary mutagenicity across the work shift between burn days and non-burn days. Firefighters lighting fires had a non-significant, 1.6-fold increase in urinary mutagenicity for burn versus non-burn day exposures. Positive associations were found between cross-work shift changes in creatinine-adjusted urinary mutagenicity and MDA (p = 0.0010), OH-pyrene (p = 0.0001), and mass absorption efficiency which is the LAC/PM2.5 ratio (p = 0.2245), respectively. No significant effect of day type or work task on cross-work shift changes in MDA or 8-isoprostane was observed. Conclusion: Urinary mutagenicity may serve as a suitable measure of occupational smoke exposures among wildland firefighters, especially among those lighting fires for prescribed burns.

• Authors: Anna M Adetona, W. Kyle Martin, Sarah H Warren, Nancy M Hanley, Olorunfemi Adetona, Junfeng Jim Zhang, Christopher Simpson, Mike Paulsen, Stephen Rathbun, Jia-Sheng Wang, David M DeMarini, Luke P Naeher
• Journal: Inhalation toxicology (Inhal Toxicol) Vol. 31 Issue 2 Pg. 73-87 (02 2019) ISSN: 1091-7691 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30985217 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Air Pollutants, Occupational
• Biomarkers
• Mutagens
• Pyrenes
• Smoke
• 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha
• Malondialdehyde
• Creatinine
• Dinoprost
• 1-hydroxypyrene

Topics

• Air Pollutants, Occupational (toxicity, urine)
• Biomarkers (urine)
• Creatinine (urine)
• Dinoprost (analogs & derivatives, urine)
• Firefighters
• Fires
• Humans
• Inhalation Exposure (adverse effects, analysis)
• Malondialdehyde (urine)
• Mutagenicity Tests
• Mutagens (toxicity)
• Occupational Exposure (adverse effects, analysis)
• Oxidative Stress (drug effects)
• Pyrenes (urine)
• Salmonella (drug effects, genetics)
• Smoke (adverse effects)
• South Carolina