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(THREAD 1/5) Our new study found that turnout gear may be an understudied & important source of #PFAS chemical exposures for #firefighters in fire stations, which is where they spend most of their time on duty
https://rdcu.be/ceMxV
@j_g_allen @JExpSciEnvEpi @HarvardChanSPH
https://rdcu.be/ceMxV
@j_g_allen @JExpSciEnvEpi @HarvardChanSPH
(2/5) Stations in our study don't, or only rarely, use firefighting foam (AFFF) with PFAS. Most prev studies focused on exposures to PFAS due to AFFF & while out fighting fires. Our study adds to recent concern that firefighting gear contains PFAS & carries PFAS back to stations
(3/5) Specifically, we found several PFAS at higher levels in dust from turnout gear locker areas than living areas in stations, & we found those PFAS on wipes of gear. PFAS may be in gear intentionally and from smoke or AFFF contamination. FFs may be exposed via skin, air & dust
(4/5) We also found that the 24 PFAS we measured in dust only accounted for up to 1% of levels of fluorine, an indicator of total content of ALL PFAS (there are over 4,700 types, often substituted for each other one at a time). So, there are probably unknown substitute PFAS used
(5/5) PFAS are:
- >4,700 chems that repel water/stains
- in clothes, furnishings, cookware & many products
- in blood of >98% of us & some higher in firefighters
- linked to cancer, thyroid disease, suppressed immune fx, impaired fetal dev, obesity, diabetes
- #ForeverChemicals
- >4,700 chems that repel water/stains
- in clothes, furnishings, cookware & many products
- in blood of >98% of us & some higher in firefighters
- linked to cancer, thyroid disease, suppressed immune fx, impaired fetal dev, obesity, diabetes
- #ForeverChemicals
