Components of Paul Von Hindenburg's trench candle smoke as a possible cause of cancer in military

High-intensity wars cause serious harm to the health of military and civilian populations. During explosions and the destruction of buildings, a person is exposed to toxic substances, the concentration of which increases sharply in the surrounding environment.
Such substances include smoke, sand, dust, asbestos, rubble, garbage, which are a source of carcinogenic particulate matter in the air.
For workers in the military industry and military personnel, the risk of developing respiratory cancer after the war is significantly higher than for the general population.
The problem can be caused not only by weapons containing toxic components, but also by ordinary household products used daily on the front lines. These include the so-called “trench candle”, which is known from the First World War under the name of the candle of Paul von Hindenburg, a German field marshal and statesman.
This device gained popularity in Ukraine with the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is used in the form of a tin can, which contains porous material from cardboard boxes, which is filled with wax or paraffin. Such candles in the amount of tens of thousands are used in trenches on the front line to obtain light, heat, dry clothes and cook food.
The composition of the smoke from the combustion of a trench candle and its effect on the health of the military has not yet been studied by anyone, but thanks to the initiative of the World Against Cancer Foundation, this study was conducted. The Foundation also financed laboratory research, including electron microscopy of nanoparticles.

It was found that within 10 minutes of burning a trench candle, the number, surface, volume and total mass of solid particles of different aerodynamic diameters (PM 10, 2.5 and 0.001 microns) increase rapidly. The indicators indicate a sharp increase in all parameters of solid nanoparticles, especially their number and total mass. These atmospheric pollutants are extremely dangerous from the point of view of carcinogenic potential.

The presence of chemical elements in the smoke from a trench candle compared to ordinary atmospheric air was analyzed by optical emission spectrometry.
Some of the metals that load the air with particulate matter during the burning of a trench candle are known or suspected carcinogens for humans. Such carcinogens were found in our study.
Thus, according to the classification of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), hexavalent chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd) are proven human carcinogens of group 1, and cobalt compounds are classified as possible human carcinogens (group 2B).
Other elements whose concentration increased during the burning of candles, such as silicon (Si), calcium (Ca), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn) in their usual forms and compounds do not have oncogenic effects, however, inhalation by humans of some of their forms (e.g., silicon dioxide, crystalline silica) may also be associated with an increased risk of cancer.
To definitively study the effects of trench candle smoke on the body of military personnel, it is necessary to plan further laboratory, epidemiological and toxicological studies.
To minimize the health impact of using trench candles and other similar sources of smoke containing toxic and carcinogenic metals, military personnel should be recommended measures with a high level of personal protection.
It is possible that in the future, indications for lung cancer screening in some population groups should be revised, taking into account not only the risks of tobacco smoking, but also the facts of contact with atmospheric carcinogens of wartime, including the duration of breathing toxic smoke from trench candles.
Determining the impact of trench candle smoke on the risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases is part of the general scientific program "Prevention and screening of cancer in the military and civilian population of Ukraine after the war", which is being developed by the Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University and the World Against Cancer Foundation.