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Mazumder NUS, Lu J, Hall AS, Kasebi A, Girase A, Masoud F, Stull JO, Ormond RB. Toward the future of firefighter gear: Assessing fluorinated and non-fluorinated outer shells following simulated on-the-job exposures. JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEXTILES 2023; 53:10.1177/15280837231217401. [PMID: 38529520 PMCID: PMC10962281 DOI: 10.1177/15280837231217401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
In 2022, the occupation of firefighting was categorized as a "Group 1" carcinogen, meaning it is known to be carcinogenic to humans. The personal protective equipment that structural firefighters wear is designed to safeguard them from thermal, physical, and chemical hazards while maintaining thermo-physiological comfort. Typically, the outer layer of structural turnout gear is finished with a durable water and oil-repellent (DWR) based on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that helps limit exposure to water and hazardous liquids. The PFAS-based aqueous emulsion typically used in DWR finishes is highly persistent and can cause various health problems if absorbed into the body through ingestion, inhalation, and/or dermal absorption. In response, the U.S. Fire Service has begun using non-PFAS water repellants in firefighter turnout gear. This study aims to evaluate the performance of both traditional PFAS-based and alternative non-PFAS outer shell materials. The study involved exposing both PFAS-based and non-PFAS DWR outer shell materials in turnout composites to simulated job exposures (i.e., weathering, thermal exposure, and laundering) that artificially aged the materials. After exposures, samples were evaluated for repellency, durability, thermal protection, and surface chemistry analysis to determine any potential performance trade-offs that may exist. Non-PFAS outer shell fabrics were found not to be diesel/oil-repellent, posing a potential flammability hazard if exposed to diesel and subsequent flame on an emergency response. Both PFAS-based and non-PFAS sets of fabrics performed similarly in terms of thermal protective performance, tearing strength, and water repellency. The surface analysis suggests that both PFAS and non-PFAS chemistries can degrade and shed from fabrics during the aging process. The study indicates that firefighters should be educated and trained regarding the potential performance trade-offs, such as oil absorption and flammability concerns when transitioning to non-PFAS outer shell materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur-Us-Shafa Mazumder
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jingtian Lu
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Stephen Hall
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Arash Kasebi
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Arjunsing Girase
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Farzaneh Masoud
- Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | | | - R. Bryan Ormond
- Textile Protection and Comfort Center, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Barros B, Oliveira M, Morais S. Biomonitoring of firefighting forces: a review on biomarkers of exposure to health-relevant pollutants released from fires. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2023; 26:127-171. [PMID: 36748115 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2023.2172119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Occupational exposure as a firefighter has recently been classified as a carcinogen to humans by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Biomonitoring has been increasingly used to characterize exposure of firefighting forces to contaminants. However, available data are dispersed and information on the most relevant and promising biomarkers in this context of firefighting is missing. This review presents a comprehensive summary and critical appraisal of existing biomarkers of exposure including volatile organic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, several other persistent other organic pollutants as well as heavy metals and metalloids detected in biological fluids of firefighters attending different fire scenarios. Urine was the most characterized matrix, followed by blood. Firefighters exhaled breath and saliva were poorly evaluated. Overall, biological levels of compounds were predominantly increased in firefighters after participation in firefighting activities. Biomonitoring studies combining different biomarkers of exposure and of effect are currently limited but exploratory findings are of high interest. However, biomonitoring still has some unresolved major limitations since reference or recommended values are not yet established for most biomarkers. In addition, half-lives values for most of the biomarkers have thus far not been defined, which significantly hampers the design of studies. These limitations need to be tackled urgently to improve risk assessment and support implementation of better more effective preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bela Barros
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Oliveira
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Simone Morais
- REQUIMTE-LAQV,Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Aliaño-González MJ, Montalvo G, García-Ruiz C, Ferreiro-González M, Palma M. Assessment of Volatile Compound Transference through Firefighter Turnout Gear. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:3663. [PMID: 35329348 PMCID: PMC8953482 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
There is high concern about the exposure of firefighters to toxic products or carcinogens resulting from combustion during fire interventions. Firefighter turnout gear is designed to protect against immediate fire hazards but not against chemical agents. Additionally, the decontamination of firefighter personal protective equipment remains unresolved. This study evaluated the feasibility of a screening method based on headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) in combination with chemometrics (cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and linear discriminant analysis) for the assessment of the transference of volatile compounds through turnout gear. To achieve this, firefighter turnout gears exposed to two different fire scenes (with different combustion materials) were directly analyzed. We obtained a spectral fingerprint for turnout gears that were both exposed and non-exposed to fire scenes. The results showed that (i): the contamination of the turnout gears is different depending on the type of fire loading; and (ii) it is possible to determine if the turnout gear is free of volatile compounds. Based on the latest results, we concluded that HS-GC-IMS can be applied as a screening technique to assess the quality of turnout gear prior to a new fire intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Aliaño-González
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Cadiz, The Wine and Food Research Institute IVAGRO, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain; (M.J.A.-G.); (M.P.)
| | - Gemma Montalvo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid–Barcelona km 33,600, 28871 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.); (C.G.-R.)
- Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales (IUICP), Calle Libreros 27, 28801 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen García-Ruiz
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid–Barcelona km 33,600, 28871 Madrid, Spain; (G.M.); (C.G.-R.)
- Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales (IUICP), Calle Libreros 27, 28801 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Ferreiro-González
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Cadiz, The Wine and Food Research Institute IVAGRO, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain; (M.J.A.-G.); (M.P.)
| | - Miguel Palma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Cadiz, The Wine and Food Research Institute IVAGRO, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain; (M.J.A.-G.); (M.P.)
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Lucena MADM, Zapata F, Mauricio FGM, Ortega-Ojeda FE, Quintanilla-López MG, Weber IT, Montalvo G. Evaluation of an Ozone Chamber as a Routine Method to Decontaminate Firefighters' PPE. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10587. [PMID: 34682332 PMCID: PMC8536115 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Ozone chambers have emerged as an alternative method to decontaminate firefighters' Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from toxic fire residues. This work evaluated the efficiency of using an ozone chamber to clean firefighters' PPE. This was achieved by studying the degradation of pyrene and 9-methylanthracene polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The following experiments were performed: (i) insufflating ozone into PAH solutions (homogeneous setup), and (ii) exposing pieces of PPE impregnated with the PAHs to an ozone atmosphere for up to one hour (heterogeneous setup). The ozonolysis products were assessed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC), and Mass Spectrometry (MS) analysis. In the homogeneous experiments, compounds of a higher molecular weight were produced due to the incorporation of oxygen into the PAH structures. Some of these new compounds included 4-oxapyren-5-one (m/z 220) and phenanthrene-4,5-dicarboxaldehyde (m/z 234) from pyrene; or 9-anthracenecarboxaldehyde (m/z 207) and hydroxy-9,10-anthracenedione (m/z 225) from 9-methylanthracene. In the heterogeneous experiments, a lower oxidation was revealed, since no byproducts were detected using FTIR and TLC, but only using MS. However, in both experiments, significant amounts of the original PAHs were still present even after one hour of ozone treatment. Thus, although some partial chemical degradation was observed, the remaining PAH and the new oxygenated-PAH compounds (equally or more toxic than the initial molecules) alerted us of the risks to firefighters' health when using an ozone chamber as a unique decontamination method. These results do not prove the ozone-advertised efficiency of the ozone chambers for decontaminating (degrading the toxic combustion residues into innocuous compounds) firefighters' PPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella A. de Melo Lucena
- BSTR, Fundamental Chemistry Department, Federal University of Pernambuco-UFPE, Avenida Prof. Luiz Freire, S/N, CDU, Recife 50740-540, Brazil
| | - Félix Zapata
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Grupo de Investigación CINQUIFOR, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (F.Z.); (F.E.O.-O.)
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Fernando E. Ortega-Ojeda
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Grupo de Investigación CINQUIFOR, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (F.Z.); (F.E.O.-O.)
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - M. Gloria Quintanilla-López
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain;
| | - Ingrid Távora Weber
- LIMA, Chemistry Institute, University of Brasilia-UNB, Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil; (F.G.M.M.); (I.T.W.)
| | - Gemma Montalvo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Grupo de Investigación CINQUIFOR, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (F.Z.); (F.E.O.-O.)
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