Climate-driven wildfires worsen U.S. air quality and health

Wildfires serve as a stark reminder of the world’s profound interconnectedness, where an event in one region can ripple across borders and manifest tangible repercussions elsewhere.

Climate-driven wildfires in Canada are transferring toxic chemicals through the air, reaching as far as the Northeastern U.S., thereby affecting air quality and raising significant health concerns. This alarming phenomenon was Investigated by researchers at Rutgers School of Public Health.

The experts assessed the physical and chemical characteristics of wildfire-related particulate matter, marking the first such characterization from a climate-driven wildfire event in the densely populated Northeast region.

“Particulate matter is a leading environmental factor in the global burden of disease, with climate-driven wildfires being a major source,” said Professor Jose Guillermo “Memo” Cedeño Laurent. “In the U.S., climate change-driven wildfires are reversing decade-long improvements in ambient air quality.”

Wildfires unleash toxic chemicals

The findings of the study are momentous, to say the least. The researchers used advanced physicochemical analysis to discover that the particulate matter transferred by these wildfires is packed with high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) –cancer-causing organic compounds.

These toxic substances, especially during the peak of the incident on June 7, were found in concentrations nearly ten times larger than the national air quality standards.

“We found very large concentrations of ultrafine and fine particulate matter during the peak of this wildfire, surpassing almost 10 times the national air quality standards and any previous record in more than five decades of air quality monitoring in the U.S. Northeast,” said Cedeño Laurent.

Study senior author Professor Philip Demokritou emphasized the gravity of these findings: “Such small particles have the ability to penetrate deep in the lung and can cause adverse health effects, as recently reported in the New York City area by epidemiological studies.”

Invisible threats of wildfires

Particulate matter is no ordinary pollution. The researchers confirmed that these particles have the capability to infiltrate deep into the lungs, causing adverse health effects.

In fact, the study showed that a 72-hour exposure to particulate matter (PM10) resulted in more than 9 micrograms of particles being deposited in the lungs.

This high concentration of ultrafine particles and their substantial PAH content are now guiding several ongoing mechanistic studies.

“Our findings on the extremely high concentrations of ultrafine particles and their significant PAH content are proving to be invaluable in guiding several ongoing mechanistic studies at NAMC,” noted Cedeño Laurent.

Unraveling the effects of particulate matter

The experts are not stopping at identifying the presence of these particles; they are delving into their impact on various organs. Ongoing studies are investigating the effects on the lungs, heart, brain, and reproductive system.

Reynold Panettieri and Joseph Jude at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Bruce Levy and Yohannes Tesfaigzi at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston are investigating the effects of particulate matter on the lungs.

Studies on the heart impacts are being led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s cardiovascular program, while the brain impacts are being analyzed by David Leong at the National University of Singapore.

Furthermore, Shuo Xiao and Andrew Gow at the Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy are studying the effects of these pollutants on the reproductive system.

“Findings will advance our understanding of the physical and chemical characteristics of wildfire smoke and its impact on human health,” noted Cedeño Laurent.

Urgent need for new air quality strategies

The researchers believe that their data highlights the need for further investigation into the physical and chemical processes of wildfire-related air pollution compared to non-wildfire pollution.

This will enable public health assessors to evaluate risks better and develop strategies to mitigate these risks for communities, especially those already compromised by air pollution.

“Results from our study can be used by public health assessors to evaluate risk and develop strategies to help our communities, especially those in areas already compromised by air pollution to adapt to the increasing wildfire phenomena,” said Demokritou.

Additionally, the researchers noted that their results offer novel insights into the evolving composition of particulate matter.

The analysis of the particulate matter’s optical properties will be featured in a companion study led by Georgios Kelesidis, a Rutgers School of Public Health affiliate. The research will examine the effect that particulate matter from wildfires has on the Earth’s temperature and its further influence on climate change in densely populated cities.

The research is published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

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