Beware! Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown threat posed by wildfires

Wildfires wreak havoc on forests and vegetation, but as per a new study, they can also release a toxic, cancer-causing chemical into the air we breathe.

New research released on Wednesday found that wildfires in the US may be transforming a benign form of chromium into a cancer-causing 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.

Hazards of wildfire smoke

Research published in British journal Nature Communications gives new insight into how wildfire smoke can harm firefighters and first responders, and why wildfire smoke is more hazardous than other forms of air pollution.

In a statement, study lead Alandra Lopez, a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability said: "Our study suggests far more attention should be paid to wildfire-modified chromium, and we presume additional metals as well, to more thoroughly characterise the overall threats wildfires pose to human health."

Scientists identified a high level of hexavalent chromium or chromium 6. It is popularly known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.

Wildfire smoke, an overlooked hazard

As per a report on the Stanford University website, wildfires are known to carry dangerous air pollutants including gases, organic aerosols, and fine particulate matter, which can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, and early death.

However, not much attention has been paid to the potential harm from metals found in soils. Across the western United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Indonesia, and South Africa, Chromium is one such common chemical.

Wildfires can turn the benign chromium into its carcinogenic counterpart, chromium-6.

Researchers caution that as climate change and global warming heat up the earth, triggering more and more wildfires, health risks posed by airborne chromium need to be better understood.

"In the complex mixture of gasses and particles that wildfires spew out as smoke and leave behind as dust, heavy metals such as chromium have largely been overlooked," said senior study author Scott Fendorf, the Terry Huffington Professor in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

What is the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical?

The so-called 'Erin Brockovich' chemical was made popular by the 2000 film Erin Brockovich.

In nature, chromium mostly occurs in a form known as trivalent chromium or chromium 3. This is an essential nutrient used by our bodies to break down glucose.

However, its counterpart, hexavalent chromium or chromium 6, is often a result of industrial processes. This is known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical and is known to increase cancer risk when inhaled or ingested via contaminated drinking water. In 2019, researchers at Australia’s Southern Cross University found that chromium 6 can form rapidly when surface soils containing chromium 3 are heated by wildfires.

(With inputs from agencies)