Methods: Between January and March 2025, volunteer firefighters were recruited from 16 U.S. states to participate in this cross-sectional pilot study. Firefighters were initially described the wristband study, consented, and subsequently completed a pre-exposure survey prior to wearing one passive silicone wristband sampling device for 24 hours. After the 24-hour period of wearing the wristband, the firefighter completed a post-exposure survey. Wristbands and paper-based survey instruments were postal mailed to and from the laboratory using quality control measures. Descriptive statistics were calculated for survey measures, and 16 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority PAHs were extracted and quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for all wristbands.

Results: Among 24 volunteer firefighter participants, the mean age was 35.5 ±12.1 years, 83.3% were male, 100.0% Caucasian, and 100.0% non-Hispanic. While wearing the wristband, 16.7% of volunteer firefighters reported smoking tobacco products and 33.3% responded to a fire-related call. Across the 24 wristbands, 50% contained the 16 EPA priority PAHs of which low molecular weight PAHs acenaphthylene (109.4ng/g) and phenanthrene (95.3ng/g) were reported in the highest concentration on average. High molecular weight PAHs reported in the highest concentrations on average in the bands were fluoranthene (32.9ng/g) and pyrene (26.4ng/g).

Conclusion: Silicone wristbands as passive samplers documented that volunteer firefighters encounter various PAHs in their work environment of which some are known carcinogens.