Evaluation of potential toxicity of smoke from controlled burns of furnished rooms – effect of flame retardancy

Figures & data

Figure 1. Time to Peak Levels of Toxic Gases by Source of Furnishings.

Table 1. Levels of VOCs in light smoke.

				Concentration (µg/m^3) ^a
VOC	CAS#	IARC	NTP	UK2	UK3	US2	US3	FRA2
1,2-Dichloropropane	78–87-5	1	-	ND ^b	12	ND	ND	ND
1,3-Butadiene	106–99-0	1	K	130	128	63	2	93
Benzene	71–43-2	1	K	821	639	2687	67	6
Ethylbenzene	100–41-4	2B	-	16	ND	24	4	35
Styrene	100–42-5	2A	R	36	ND	101	ND	190
Trichloroethene	79–01-6	1	K	ND	ND	411	ND	ND
Vinyl Chloride	75–01-4	1	K	ND	9	ND	ND	ND

^aSample FRA3 was contaminated with black smoke during collection and data are not reported here.

^bND = Not Detected (Less than Limit of Detection = 5 µg per XAD Cartridge for all analytes)

Table 2. Levels of VOCs in dark smoke.

				Concentration (µg/m^3) ^a
VOC	CAS#	IARC	NTP	UK2	UK3	US2	FRA2	FRA3
1,2-Dichloropropane	78–87-5	1	-	129	ND ^b	ND	ND	ND
1,3-Butadiene	106–99-0	1	K	ND	86	ND	ND	4712
Benzene	71–43-2	1	K	4.E + 04	1.E + 05	2.E + 05	6.E + 04	2.E + 06
Ethylbenzene	100–41-4	2B	-	139	ND	4134	ND	35
Styrene	100–42-5	2A	R	213	226	2.E + 03	ND	1.E + 04
Trichloroethene	79–01-6	1	K	ND	ND	ND	ND	ND
Vinyl Chloride	75–01-4	1	K	256	ND	ND	59	5

^aLine blockage occurred during sample collection for US3 dark and data are not reported here.

^bND = Not Detected (Less than Limit of Detection = 5 µg per XAD Cartridge for all analytes)

Table 3. Levels of SVOCs in Dark Smoke.

					Concentration (µg/m^3) ^a
SVOC	CAS#	IARC	NTP	AhR Activator ^b	UK2	UK3	US2	FRA2	FRA3
2-Methylnaphthalene	91–57-6	-	-	NA ^c	106		1,256	1,917	500
Acenaphthylene	208–96-8	-	-	No	1,800	1,176	4,615	16,667	3,500
Acetophenone	98–86-2	-	-	NA	174	63	ND	267	ND ^d
Aniline	62–53-3	2A	-	NA	ND	ND	ND	400	ND
Anthracene	120–12-7	3	-	No	62	ND	513	ND	ND
Benzo[b]fluoranthene	205–99-2	2B	R ^e	Yes	ND	ND	231	292	867
Benzo[a]anthracene	56–55-3	2B	R	Yes	ND	ND	190	208	600
Benzo[a]pyrene	50–32-8	1	R	Yes	ND	ND	238	342	750
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene	191–24-2	3	-	No	ND	ND	185	292	583
Chrysene	218–01-9	2B	-	Yes	ND	ND	241	242	717
Dibenzofuran	132–64-9		-	No	78	ND	564	492	ND
Fluoranthene	206–44-0	3	-	NA	194	67	1,103	1,667	2,000
Fluorene	86–73-7	3	-	Yes	68	ND	410	700	ND
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene	193–39-5	2B	R	Yes	ND	ND	156	233	600
m-Cresol & p-cresol	108–39-4 & 106–44-5	-	-	ND	ND	ND	ND	317	533
Naphthalene	91–20-3	2B	R	Equivocal	10,400	6,667	69,231	141,667	18,333
Phenanthrene	85–01-8	3	-	No	520	145	2,821	ND	ND
Phenol	108–95-2	3	-	ND	500	155	385	4,833	6,333
Pyrene	129–00-0	3	-	No	260	143	1,179	1,917	2,167
Pyridine	110–86-1	2B	-	No	ND	ND	949	3,167	767

^aLine blockage occurred during sample collection for US3 dark and results are not reported here.

^bInduction of AhR by smoke samples from comparative burns (maximum AhR induction)

^cNA = Not Assessed

^dND = Not Detected (Less than Limit of Detection = 5 µg per XAD Cartridge for all analytes)

^eR = Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen

Figure 2. Results from the ToxTracker® Reporter Assay.

Note: US3 dark (line blockage) - data not included above. FRA3 light (sample contaminated with dark smoke during collection) - data not included above. DNA damage – genotoxicity [Bscl2-GFP] [Rtkn-GFP]. p53 (DNA damage and oxidative stress) – [Btg2-GFP]. Oxidative stress – [Srxn1-GFP and Blvrb-GFP]. UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) – [DDIT3-GFP].

Figure 3. Induction of Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase (AhR) as an Indicator of Possible Carcinogenicity and Chronic Toxicity - Maximum AhR.

Note: Line blockage occurred during sample collection for US3 dark and data are not reported here. Sample FR3 light was contaminated with black smoke during air collection and data are not reported here. Cell culture medium containing 0.1% (v/v) DMSO was used as a vehicle control. Bars represent the mean of three triplicate assay results from a single smoke collection sample.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (WD) upon reasonable request.