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. 2024 Jun 12;11(7):679-686.
doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00272. eCollection 2024 Jul 9.

Internal Flames: Metal(loid) Exposure Linked to Alteration of the Lipid Profile in Czech Male Firefighters (CELSPAC-FIREexpo Study)

Nina Pálešová  1 , Katarína Řiháčková  1 , Jan Kuta  1 , Aleš Pindur  1   2   3 , Ludmila Šebejová  1 , Pavel Čupr  1
Affiliations

Internal Flames: Metal(loid) Exposure Linked to Alteration of the Lipid Profile in Czech Male Firefighters (CELSPAC-FIREexpo Study)

Nina Pálešová et al. Environ Sci Technol Lett. .

Abstract

Increased wildfire activity increases the demands on fire rescue services and firefighters' contact with harmful chemicals. This study aimed to determine firefighters' exposure to toxic metal(loid)s and its association with the lipid profile. CELSPAC-FIREexpo study participants (including 110 firefighters) provided urine and blood samples to quantify urinary levels of metal(loid)s (arsenic, cadmium (Cd), mercury, and lead (Pb)), and serum lipid biomarkers (cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and triglycerides (TG)). The associations were investigated by using multiple linear regression and Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) regression. Higher levels of Pb were observed in firefighters. Pb was positively associated with CHOL and TG. Cd was negatively associated with HDL. In the BWQS model, the mixture of metal(loid)s was associated positively with CHOL (β = 14.75, 95% CrI = 2.45-29.08), LDL (β = 15.14, 95% CrI = 3.39-29.35), and TG (β = 14.79, 95% CrI = 0.73-30.42), while negatively with HDL (β = -14.96, 95% CrI = -25.78 to -1.8). Pb emerged as a key component in a metal(loid) mixture. The results suggest that higher exposure to lead and the mixture of metal(loid)s is associated with the alteration of the lipid profile, which can result in an unfavorable cardiometabolic profile, especially in occupationally exposed firefighters.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SG-adjusted levels of urinary metals (ng/mL) in 3 study subcohorts - PROF, NEW FF, and CTRL. “*” indicates a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Red dashed lines represent the human biomonitoring reference value (RV95) statistically derived from the studies conducted on general populations (RV95 (As) = 15 ng/mL; RV(95) Pb = 4 ng/mL).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Associations between urinary metal(loid)s categorized into quartiles (Q1–Q4) and serum lipids (mmol/L): adjusted β-coefficients, 95% confidence intervals, and p-values for trend.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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