Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks

Hickey, Christina; Gordon, Christopher P.; Galdanes, Karen; Blaustein, Martin; Horton, Lori; Chillrud, S. N.; Ross, James; Yinon, Lital; Chen, Lung Chi; Gordon, Terry

doi:10.1186/s12989-020-00360-4

Cited by 41 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Prohibitions and restrictions apply. Further combustion products are still under evaluationfrom different points of view [22] and in different contexts [23]. In some cases, emissions of fireworks are assessed that do not meet the state of the art or official standards [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determination of Particulate Matter Emission Factors of Common Pyrotechnic Articles

Keller

Schragen

2021

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

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The measurement of particulate matter (TSP, PM 10, and PM 2.5 ) emitted by pyrotechnic articles is described. For this purpose, pyrotechnic articles for entertainment purposes of category F2 (i. e. consumer fireworks according to European legislation) are examined exemplarily. The aim was to determine reliable emission factors (EF). Different types of pyrotechnic articles were used to obtain a more representative database. Commonly used analytical methods, like impactor technology, are accompanied by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to obtain a better insight into the nature of the emissions. Specific emission factors are determined for each pyrotechnic article. In the absence of activity rates, an average specific emission factor can be used to assess emission inventories. The average emission factors for investigated articles are 253 g PM 10 per kg net explosive content (NEC) and 200 g PM 2.5 per kg NEC. The highest emission is found for a battery of shot tubes, the lowest emission of particulate matter is found for a fountain-like pyrotechnic article. Furthermore, the hypothesis is assessed whether it makes a difference to determine emission data based on pyrotechnic mixtures or pyrotechnic articles. It is demonstrated that the combustion of pyrotechnic articles generates a higher amount of particulate matter than the combustion of pyrotechnic mixtures.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This implies that substances, banned for a long time in Europe, are still in use. Lead is the prime example that demonstrates wrongly assessed emission data [18,23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of Particulate Matter Emission Factors of Common Pyrotechnic Articles

Keller

Schragen

2021

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

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“…Many activities can produce PM 2.5 , such as industrial production [ 23 , 24 , 25 ], transportation [ 26 ], heating [ 27 , 28 ], and agricultural waste treatment [ 29 ]. In recent years, high-intensity firework displays have attracted widespread attention because large amounts of harmful gases and particulate matter are generated when the fireworks are set off [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. The pollutants produced by firework discharges not only seriously affect the surrounding air quality, but may also cause local haze [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Fireworks Discharge on Atmospheric PM2.5 Concentration in the Chinese Lunar New Year

Zhang

Shen

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Discharging fireworks during the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations is a deep-rooted custom in China. In this paper, we analyze the effect of this cultural activity on PM2.5 concentration using both ground observations and satellite data. By combining remote sensing data, the problem of uneven spatial distribution of ground monitoring has been compensated, and the research time span has been expanded. The results show that the extensive firework displays on New Year’s Eve lead to a remarkable increase in nationwide PM2.5 concentration, which were 159~223% of the average level, indicating the instantaneous effect far exceeds that of any other factor over the whole year. However, the averaged PM2.5 concentrations of the celebration period were 0.99~16.32 μg/m3 lower compared to the average values of the corresponding pre-celebration period and post-celebration period, indicating the sustained effect is not very significant. The implementation of firework prohibition policies can greatly reduce the instantaneous PM2.5 increase, but no obvious air quality improvement is observed over the entire celebration period. Combining these findings and the cultural significance of this activity, we recommend that this custom is actively maintained, using new technologies and scientific governance programs to minimize the negative effects.

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“…Extensive evidence has documented higher concentrations of fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter (PM 2.5 ) and co-pollutants (i.e., trace metals and water-soluble ions) related to firework displays on celebratory occasions [1][2][3][4]. During (and sometimes several days prior to or after) festivals and national holidays, daily PM 2.5 concentrations have been shown to be 2 to 10 times greater than background levels [5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measurements have also shown elevated concentrations of trace metals, watersoluble ions, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere during firework episodes [8,9]. Findings from toxicological studies demonstrate that particles generated from fireworks can produce adverse effects in mammalian cells and lungs, underscoring the need to expand our understanding of the contribution of firework-related emissions to ambient air pollution and the implications to public health [3,[10][11][12]. In the United States, the New Year and 4th of July holidays constitute major annual firework episodes that impact regional and local air quality, leading to short-term PM 2.5 and gasphase air pollution exposure [1,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of 4th of July Fireworks on Spatiotemporal PM2.5 Concentrations in California Based on the PurpleAir Sensor Network: Implications for Policy and Environmental Justice

Mousavi

Yuan

Masri

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Fireworks are often used in celebration, causing short term, extremely high particulate matter air pollution. In recent years, the rapid development and expansion of low-cost air quality sensors by companies such as PurpleAir has enabled an understanding of air pollution at a much higher spatiotemporal resolution compared to traditional monitoring networks. In this study, real-time PM2.5 measurements from 751 PurpleAir sensors operating from June to July in 2019 and 2020 were used to examine the impact of 4th of July fireworks on hourly and daily PM2.5 concentrations at the census tract and county levels in California. American Community Survey (ACS) and CalEnviroScreen 3.0 data were used to identify correlations between PM2.5 measurements and socioeconomic status (SES). A two-step method was implemented to assure the quality of raw PM2.5 sensor data and sensor calibration against co-located reference instruments. The results showed that over 67% and 81% of counties experienced immediate impacts related to fireworks in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Relative to 2019, the peak PM2.5 concentrations on July 4th and 5th 2020 were, on average, over 50% higher in California, likely due to the COVID-19-related increase in the use of household-level fireworks. This increase was most pronounced in southern counties, which tend to have less strict firework-related regulations and a greater use of illegal fireworks. Los Angeles County experienced the highest July 4th daily PM2.5 levels both in 2019 (29.9 µg·m−3) and 2020 (42.6 µg·m−3). Spatial hot spot analyses generally showed these southern counties (e.g., Los Angeles County) to be regional air pollution hotspots, whereas the opposite pattern was seen in the north (e.g., San Francisco). The results also showed PM2.5 peaks that were over two-times higher among communities with lower SES, higher minority group populations, and higher asthma rates. Our findings highlight the important role that policy and enforcement can play in reducing firework-related air pollution and protecting public health, as exemplified by southern California, where policy was more relaxed and air pollution was higher (especially in 2020 when the 4th of July coincided with the COVID-19-lockdown period), and in disadvantaged communities where disparities were greatest.

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Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks

Cited by 41 publications

References 22 publications

Determination of Particulate Matter Emission Factors of Common Pyrotechnic Articles

Determination of Particulate Matter Emission Factors of Common Pyrotechnic Articles

The Effects of Fireworks Discharge on Atmospheric PM2.5 Concentration in the Chinese Lunar New Year

Impact of 4th of July Fireworks on Spatiotemporal PM2.5 Concentrations in California Based on the PurpleAir Sensor Network: Implications for Policy and Environmental Justice

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