Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons assessed by biomonitoring of firefighters during fire operations in Germany.

Under study conditions, properly applied protective clothing and wearing of SCBA led to a significant reduction of PAH exposure levels. But there are individual situations in which PAH are increasingly incorporated since the incorporation depends on several factors and can be extremely variable. In contrast to many workplaces with high occupational exposure levels, firefighters are not exposed to PAH on a daily basis. Nevertheless, the possibility of an individual increased cancer risk for a particular firefighter cannot completely be ruled out.