Smoke Toxicity Measurements Made so that the Results Can Be Used for Improved Fire Safety

Abstract

The toxic potency of the smoke generated from most materials in a fire is very similar. The toxicity of fire atmospheres in those fires causing most fatalities (large flaming fires with ventilation control) is principally asso ciated with the presence of carbon monoxide (CO). In those particular fires (which are of greatest concern for fire hazard assessment) there is, moreover a very poor correlation between carbon monoxide concentrations and fuel chem istry. This is due to CO yields being dominated by the conditions in the fire compartment and bearing little relation to the chemical structure of the materials being burned. Toxic potencies measured in bench scale tests are often dominated by combustion products other than carbon monoxide, since these tests generally do not give adequate carbon monoxide yields. Thus, ana lytical results from such tests have no value, either scientific or for fire hazard assessment.