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Cited by 47Toxic Organic Pollutants ImpactFire effects on ecosystemsPesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies

Emerging contaminants related to the occurrence of forest fires in the Spanish Mediterranean

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Campo, Julian, Lorenzo, María, Cammeraat, Erik L.H., Picó, Yolanda, Andreu, Vicente·2017·Science of The Total Environment
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.005
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Abstract

Forest fires can be a source of contamination because, among others, of the use of chemicals to their extinction (flame retardants, FRs), or by the production of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from high temperature alteration of organic matter. Up to our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the direct (PAHs 16 on the USA EPA's priority list), and indirect [tri- to hepta- brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)] contamination related to forest fires. The abundance and distribution of these contaminants were monitored on two Mediterranean hillslopes, one burned and one unburned, near Azuébar (SE Spain). Samples were taken in the foot, middle, and top of the slope, at two depths, and in two environments (under canopy and bare soil). Sediments were collected from sediment fences after erosive rainfall events. Most of the screened compounds were found in both, burned and control hillslopes, though significant differences were found between both. In burned soil, low concentrations of PBDEs (maximum ΣPBDEs: 7.3ngg-1), PFRs (664.4ngg-1) and PFASs (56.4ngg-1) were detected in relation to PAHs (Σ16 PAHs=1255.3ngg-1). No significant influence of the hillslope position was observed for any of the contaminants but differences based on depth and vegetation presence tended to be significant, particularly for the PAHs. After the first erosive event, concentrations of PBDEs and PAHs were higher in sediment than in soil (ΣPBDEs: 17.8ngg-1 and Σ16 PAHs=3154.2ngg-1) pointing out the importance of connectivity processes, especially shortly after fire.

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  • A study of fire effects in Spain, including the use of aerial fire retardants, did not find elevated PFAS concentrations in burned sites.

    “A study of fire effects in Spain, including the use of aerial fire retardants, did not find elevated PFAS concentrations in burned sites (Campo et al., 2017).”

    From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Campo et al., 2017

    The Introduction and Conclusions describe a Spanish fire study comparing burned and unburned hillslopes; the Conclusions say PFAS concentrations were similar to those in studies unrelated to fires. The Study site and sampling section says eight air assets helped extinguish the fire, but our copy does not establish that aerial fire retardants were used. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • PAH increases occurred in boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean biomes.

    “PAH increases occurred in boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean biomes (Campo et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2011; Stein et al., 2012; Wisløff, 2018).”

    From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Campo et al., 2017

    The Results (§3.1, Soil) report significantly higher PAH concentrations on the burned than the control slope at the Spanish Mediterranean study site. The paper does not establish PAH increases in boreal or temperate biomes, so it supports only the Mediterranean part of the claim. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In Spain and Portugal, diphenyl ethers and a variety of priority pollutant PAHs, including acenaphthylene, benzopyrene, fluorene, naphthalene, and pyrene have all been observed in surface soils, sediment, groundwater, runoff, and surface water impacted by fires.

    “In Spain and Portugal, for example, diphenyl ethers and a variety of priority pollutant PAHs, including acenaphthylene, benzopyrene, fluorene, naphthalene, and pyrene have all been observed in surface soils, sediment, groundwater, runoff, and surface water impacted by fires (Campo et al., 2017; Mansilha et al., 2014, 2019; Nunes et al., 2017).”

    From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Campo et al., 2017

    The Results (§3.1–3.2) report PBDEs and priority-list PAHs in soils and sediments at a burned site in Spain. This paper does not establish the sentence’s broader claims about Portugal or contaminants observed in groundwater, runoff, and surface water; the sentence also cites other studies for those observations. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 28

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Campo, J., Lorenzo, M., Cammeraat, E. L. H., Picó, Y., & Andreu, V.
Affiliations
  • Universitat de València (ES)
  • University of Amsterdam (NL)
ORCID
Venue
Science of The Total Environment
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-12
Volume
603-604
Pages
330-339
ISSN
0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.005
OpenAlex
W2682224062
Cited by
47
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4
FWCI
1.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • VALi+d postdoctoral contract (APOSTD/2014/010)
  • Foundation “Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno”
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
Keywords
forest fires, emerging contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, soil contamination, hillslope erosion
MeSH terms
Wildfires, Environmental Monitoring, Flame Retardants, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Soil Pollutants, Spain

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