Characterisation of particulate exposure during fireworks displays

Little is known about the level and content of exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) among persons who attend fireworks displays and those who live nearby. An evaluation of the levels of PM2.5 and their elemental content was carried out during the nine launches of the 2007 Montréal International Fireworks Competition. For each event, a prediction of the location of the firework plume was obtained from the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) of the Meteorological Service of Canada. PM2.5 was measured continuously with a photometer (Sidepak™, TSI) within the predicted plume location (“predicted sites”), and integrated samples were collected using portable personal samplers. An additional sampler was located on a nearby roof (“fixed site”). The elemental composition of the collected PM2.5 samples from the “predicted sites” was determined using both a non-destructive energy dispersive ED-XRF method and an ICP-MS method with a near-total microwave-assisted acid digestion. The elemental composition of the “fixed site” samples was determined by the ICP-MS with the near-total digestion method. The highest PM2.5 levels reached nearly 10 000 μg m−3, roughly 1000 times background levels. Elements such as K, Cl, Al, Mg and Ti were markedly higher in plume-exposed filters. This study shows that 1) persons in the plume and in close proximity to the launch site may be exposed to extremely high levels of PM2.5 for the duration of the display and, 2) that the plume contains specific elements for which little is known of their acute cardio-respiratory toxicity.