Food using Barbeque fuels on beach sands (Summary)

 Ref

Sci Rep. 2023 Oct 17;13:17621. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-45023-4

Effects of thermal treatment of food using barbecue fuels on ambient air and beach sands within recreation facilities

Sebastian Kuś 1, Iwona Jelonek 1, Zbigniew Jelonek 1,✉

Food using Barbeque fuels on beach sands

Summary

The use of the beach and the preparation of food by means of heat treatment of food products using barbecue equipment result in the generation of contaminants both in the beach sands and in the air. 

Analysis of the sands did not reveal, apart from cadmium (Cd), high concentrations of carcinogenic elements when measurements were taken near the barbecues and at a distance from the barbecues. However, a difference was found between the element content of sands located directly next to the barbecue sites (higher element concentration) and sands further away from these sites. 

Similar differences between the contamination of beach sands were shown by testing for solid elements such as rust, metals, plastics, polymers, charcoal, biomass, slags, fossil coals, and glass. 

Immediately adjacent to the grills, the accumulation of solid contaminants clearly increased up to 0.6% in the case of polymers and slags. 

The greatest adverse impact on the comfort and health of people using beaches located next to leisure centres was found in the case of air pollution from exhaust fumes emitted from barbecues. PM10 and PM2.5 particles contained in the fumes emitted by the barbecues often exceeded the permissible concentrations not only at the devices themselves but even within a radius of several metres from them. Increased concentrations within a radius of a few metres from the grills were also recorded for measurements taken for CO, RI, HCHO, and NH3. It should be emphasised that in the case of this type of exposure to fumes within a radius of a few to several metres from the emitter, not only the users of the grills themselves but also other members of the public using recreational facilities are exposed to their inhalation.