[Chemical hazards in fire-fighting environments].

The assessment of the fire-fighters' exposure to harmful chemicals during the fire attendance is presented. The assessment was based on measurements of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde and aromatic hydrocarbons of five fire-fighting actions. Using passive dosimeters, personal air samples were collected. A portable Draeger-PAC III was used for measuring carbon monoxide. Above 130 chemicals were detected in the environment of the fire attendance. Among them aliphatic hydrocarbons C6-C16 were dominant. Benzene and its aliphatic homologues were also found in all air samples. The carbon monoxide concentration accounted for up to 720 mg/m3. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde and benzene ranged from 0.0 to 49.9 mg/m3; 84.5 mg/m3; 5.3 mg/m3 and 89.4 mg/m3, respectively.