Toxic Threat Revealed in Los Angeles - New Research on Lead and Chlorine in Smoke

New Insights from Los Angeles

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles County have shed new light on the dangers of urban blazes, revealing the alarming levels of toxic chemicals released when homes and other structures burn. Researchers, utilizing a new network of sensors, tracked air pollution in real-time, uncovering startling spikes in lead and chlorine concentrations.

At the peak of the fires, lead levels, a potent neurotoxin, soared to 100 times the average, even miles away from the flames. Chlorine, another hazardous substance, reached 40 times its typical concentration. These findings underscore the unique threat posed by urban wildfires, where burning buildings release lead from paint and pipes, and chlorine and other chemicals from melting or burning plastics.

"These fires were a wake-up call," stated Haroula Baliaka, a Ph.D. candidate in atmospheric chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. "They are no longer just about burning trees and grass. They are urban wildfires, fueled by the very materials that make up our homes and cities."

As climate change and development increase the likelihood of wildfires impacting densely populated areas, concerns over toxic emissions are expected to rise. In Los Angeles, the toxic smoke implies a potential increase in both immediate and long-term health risks. Lead exposure can damage the brain and nervous system, particularly in children, while chlorine can harm the lungs and respiratory tract.

A recent study estimated that wildfire smoke may have caused as many as 12,000 premature deaths in California during 2018. Scientists warn that wildfire smoke is jeopardizing the progress made in reducing air pollution from traditional sources, as climate change intensifies these events.

The new data comes from ASCENT, a federally funded national monitoring network launched last year to track a wide range of air pollutants in real-time. The readings from the Los Angeles fires were captured at the network's station in Pico Rivera, several miles from the active fires.

"Wildfires are becoming a bigger focus for scientists that study air pollution," said Nga Lee Ng, an atmospheric scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the network's principal investigator. "The urban nature of many of these fires means the smoke is going to have very different components, a lot more toxic particles."

These findings highlight the urgent need for improved wildfire management strategies and public health interventions to mitigate the growing threat of urban wildfires and their associated toxic emissions.