(353c) Field Deployable Kit for Removal of Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Contaminants from Firefighter Turnout Gear

Over the last decade, elevated cancer incidence and mortality among firefighters has become an area of interest
for many involved with the profession. Studies have shown that firefighters are up to twice as likely to develop
several kinds of cancer as the general public. This increased risk likely originates from high firefighter exposure
to several classes of carcinogenic compounds, including poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals.
PAHs, in particular, are a subject of increasing importance as synthetic building materials become more
prevalent. Recent studies have shown that treatment of firefighter gear to remove these compounds drastically
reduces firefighter risk of exposure; however, there is currently no universal methodology for decontaminating
post-incident firefighter gear. In addition, available washing procedures are both time consuming and have yet
to be proven effective. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has begun development of a standardized firefighter field
decontamination kit that includes a new class of detergent that is specifically formulated to eliminate PAHs,
heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated turnout gear. This detergent has been
tested under lab and simulated field decontamination conditions, and has been demonstrated to significantly
outperform the current state of the art detergents. PSI demonstrated >95% PAH removal, >99% heavy metal
removal, and >90% VOC removal. In addition, PSI has designed a field decontamination kit that will allow for
optimal detergent application, and is designed to be simple, inexpensive, require no additional implements, not
affect response time, and compliant with NFPA 1851 protocols. These results, in-depth analysis as well as
conclusions and next steps will be presented.

Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Defense under Award
W911NF-20-P-0046.

Disclaimer: This abstract was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the
United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes
any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process
disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product,
process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed
herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.