Assessing decontamination and laundering processes for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and flame retardants from firefighting uniforms

Abstract

Firefighter uniforms protect firefighters from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals including a range of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Contaminated uniforms can become a secondary source of firefighters' exposure to these chemicals. There is inconsistency on the removal efficiency of SVOCs during the cleaning, laundering and field decontamination of firefighting uniforms. Therefore, this study aims to assess how effective decontamination and laundering processes are in reducing firefighter uniforms as a vector for transport and exposure to SVOCs. Firefighters who had attended a controlled house fire and simulated container burns had their uniforms sampled pre- and post-laundering. Clean station wear was laundered with contaminated uniforms and after a load of contaminated uniforms to assess inter and intra load contamination. Surface wipes were collected from uniforms across 12 fire stations, after they had returned from a laundering provider. Concentrations of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), six organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in the collected samples. The concentrations of ∑₁₃ PAHs in firefighters uniforms ranged between 0.063 and 43 μg g^-1, while concentration of ∑₆ OPFRs were between 0.061 and 90 μg g^-1 with ∑₇ PBDEs concentrations being measured between 0.00054 and 0.97 μg g^-1.The highest concentrations of ∑₁₃ PAHs were measured on the outer layers of gloves at an average of 19 μg g^-1, with the highest ∑₆ OPFRs concentrations being measured in the middle layers of gloves at an average of 31 μg g^-1. The highest ∑₇ PBDEs concentrations were measured on the shell layers of turnout jackets at 0.42 μg g^-1. The significant reduction in ∑₁₃ PAHs after laundering or decontamination was only found in 3 of the 16 sampled areas from firefighting uniforms. No significant differences were found in the between pre- and post-laundering concentrations of ∑₆ OPFRs or ∑₇ PBDEs in firefighting uniforms. The current laundering techniques do not appear to effectively remove PAHs, OPFRs and PBDEs at the measured concentrations from firefighters' uniforms. Further research is required to assess if chemical exposure though firefighting uniforms poses a health risk to firefighters and to develop methods for the removal of SVOCs from firefighting uniforms.

Keywords: Firefighters; Laundering; Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs); Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); Uniform.