Toxicity of fireworks particles

Across the globe, fireworks shows can be seen at various times of the year for a number of occasions, celebrations and holidays. Large fireworks displays are rising in popularity such as those used for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics or at amusement parks, but the use of consumer fireworks, those intended for use by the general public, is more than 10 times greater than that used for large shows by professionals. This widespread usage of fireworks by the general public is a concern for adverse health effects with potential for injury to life and limb. This widespread usage is also an environmental concern, as previous research has described the contamination of air and waterways.  Little to no research, however, has addressed the potential for the particles and gases released during fireworks celebrations to cause adverse cardiopulmonary effects if inhaled. The researchers in this study hypothesized that firework displays introduce significant amounts of toxic metals into the atmosphere and are hazardous to human health.

The authors considered the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by airway cell lining, which have long been known to be a component of the killing response of immune cells to microbial invasion (Biotek, 2014). They also tested a subset of firework emissions for their ability to produce pulmonary inflammation and injury in a mouse model. The researchers found that increases in ROS were dependent on the type of firework but not particle size and the in vitro ROS activity was correlated with lung inflammation. These findings demonstrate that firework PM emissions are more toxic than typical urban particulate matter. The results of this study not only add to the body of knowledge surrounding fireworks toxicity but also provide implications for targeted interventions in fireworks manufacturing that can reduce the potential for adverse cardiopulmonary effects in the U.S. and globally.

Reference cited above:
An Introduction to Reactive Oxygen Species - Measurement of ROS in Cells: January 26, 2014. (2014, January 26). BioTek-White Pages. Retrieved August 10, 2020.

Reference:
Hickey C, Gordon C, Galdanes K, Blaustein M, Horton L, Chillrud S, Ross J, Yinon L, Chen LC, Gordon T. Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2020;17:28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-020-00360-4