Flame-retardant contamination of firefighter personal protective clothing – A potential health risk for firefighters

ABSTRACT

There is a high incidence of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers in firefighters that may be related to their occupational exposure to hazardous substances. Exposure may result from contaminated personal protective gear, as well as from direct exposure at fire scenes. This study characterized flame-retardant contamination on firefighter personal protective clothing to assess exposure of firefighters to these chemicals. Samples from used and unused firefighter protective clothing, including gloves, hoods and a coat wristlet, were extracted with methylene chloride and analyzed by EPA method 8270D Specific Ion Method (SIM) for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Until recently PBDEs were some of the most common flame-retardant chemicals used in the US. Fifteen of the seventeen PBDEs for which analysis was performed were found on at least one clothing swatch. Every clothing sample, including an unused hood and all three layers of an unused glove, held a detectable concentration of at least one PBDE. These findings, along with previous research, suggest that firefighters are exposed to PBDE flame retardants at levels much higher than the general public. PBDEs are found widely dispersed in the environment and still persist in existing domestic materials such as clothing and furnishings. Firefighter exposure to flame retardants therefore merits further study.

KEYWORDS:

• Exposures
• flame retardants
• firefighters
• PBDEs

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the significant contributions made by the members of the Cincinnati metropolitan fire departments who cooperated with this study. They are grateful for the support given by ALS Datachem. They would also like to recognize the assistance of Dr. Tiina Reponen of the Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati. The contributions of student workers Melanie Zinser and Brian Hunt are also greatly appreciated.

Funding

This research study was supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Pilot Research Project Training Program of the University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center (ERC) Grants #T42/OH008432-07 and #T42/OH008432-08. Dr. Alexander is funded by internal funds from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Dr. Baxter is funded by departmental funds from the Department of Environmental Health.