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#References

[1] Lopez, A.M., Pacheco, J.L., Fendorf, S., 2023. Metal toxin threat in wildland fires determined by geology and fire severity. Nature Communications 14 (1), 8007+. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43101-9

[2] Burton, E.D., Choppala, G., Karimian, N., Johnston, S.G., 2019. A new pathway for hexavalent chromium formation in soil: fire-induced alteration of iron oxides. Environmental Pollution 247, 618–625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.094

#DOI #wildfires #HexavalentChromium #soil #ash #particulate

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Figure 1 in the suppl. info of [1] shows the global distribution (warning: specific #uncertainty affects geological data maps) of potentially susceptible soils:

https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41467-023-43101-9/MediaObjects/41467_2023_43101_MOESM1_ESM.pdf#page=2

As #wildfires may worsen "due to a combination of #ClimateChange and past #FireManagement, post-fire dust emissions are likely to rise"
Knowing more on drivers of fire-catalyzed #HexavalentChromium Cr(VI) may help in supporting how "to mitigate exposure risks to first responders and local communities" [1]

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In [1], the authors report: "high #temperatures during California #wildfires catalyzed widespread transformation of chromium to its #carcinogenic form in soil and #ash, as #HexavalentChromium" Cr(VI) - even "in wind-dispersible #particulates"

The geographic distribution of susceptible #soils, and of "fire incidents illustrate the broad global threat of wildfire #smoke- and dust-born metals to populations" [1]

A study in 2019 [2] already suggested this pathway for Cr(VI) formation in soil.