Exposure assessment through realistic laboratory simulation of a soccer stadium fire

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 81; no. 6; pp. 794 - 799
• Main Authors: van Belle, N.J.C., van Putten, E.M., de Groot, A.C., Meeussen, V.J.A., Banus, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - chemistry; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Aldehydes - analysis; Aldehydes - chemistry; Ammonia - analysis; Ammonia - chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Monoxide - analysis; Carbon Monoxide - chemistry; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Combustion; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment. Living conditions; Exposure; Fires; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hazardous Substances - analysis; Hydrogen cyanide; Hydrogen Cyanide - analysis; Hydrogen Cyanide - chemistry; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; Ketones - analysis; Ketones - chemistry; Medical sciences; Models, Chemical; Nitrogen oxides; Nitrogen Oxides - analysis; Nitrogen Oxides - chemistry; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - chemistry; Polyamide; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Assessment; Soccer; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Volatile Organic Compounds - chemistry; Netherlands; Netherlands, Groningen; Polyamide; Hydrogen cyanide; Nitrogen oxides; Combustion; Exposure; Nitrogen oxide; Laboratory study; Hydrogen; Nitrogen compounds; Cyanides; Health and environment; Fires; Public health
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.06.080
• EISSN: 1879-1298
• ISSN: 0045-6535

On Sunday April 13, 2008 a fire broke out on a grandstand in the Euroborg soccer stadium in Groningen The Netherlands. The polyamide chairs on the grandstand were set on fire and supporters were exposed to the emitted smoke which induced mild health effects. The Dutch government was concerned about potential health risks that such fires could have to exposed fans. Especially the exposure to toxic fumes was considered a risk because prior research has proven that large amounts of chemical compounds are emitted during the burning of chemical substances such as polyamide. Among these emitted compounds are HCN, CO, NO
x
, NH
3 and volatile organic compounds. To study if supporters were exposed to hazardous chemical compounds we designed a laboratory controlled replica of a part of the grandstand of the Euroborg stadium to perform fire-experiments. This simulation of the fire under controlled circumstances proved that a wide variety of chemicals were emitted. Especially the emission of CO and NO
x
were high, but also the emission of formaldehyde might be toxicologically relevant. The emission of HCN and NH
3 were less than expected. Exposure assessment suggests that the exposure to NO
x
is the main health risk for the supporters that were present at the Euroborg fire.