Barbara Alexander

Plasticizer Contamination of Firefighter Personal Protective Clothing – A Potential Factor in Increased Health Risks in Firefighters

Chemical exposures may be responsible for firefighters’ elevated incidences of cancer and cardiovascular disease. This study characterized semivolatile chemical contamination on firefighter personal protective clothing to assess exposure of firefighters to these chemicals. Samples from used firefighter protective clothing, including gloves, hood, and one coat wristlet, were extracted with methylene chloride and analyzed by EPA method 8270 for semivolatile contaminants, including 20 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 6 phthalate diesters. Twenty-two of the chemicals of interest were found on at least one clothing swatch. Only di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer, added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to increase flexibility, was found on every swatch. DEHP concentrations were the highest of any chemical measured, and were 52 to 875 times higher than any PAH concentration measured. DEHP was also detected on most items of unused firefighter personal protective clothing, although at much lower levels. These findings suggest that firefighters are exposed to high levels of DEHP, a probable human carcinogen, and at levels much higher than PAHs, the semivolatile toxic combustion products most extensively studied historically. Firefighter exposure to DEHP and other phthalate diesters therefore merits further study.

Evaluating Endocrine Disruption Activity of Deposits on Firefighting Gear Using a Sensitive and High Throughput Screening Method.

Objective: Adverse health outcomes related to exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, including increased incidences of coronary heart disease, prostate and testicular cancers, and congenital disabilities, have been reported in firefighters or their offspring. We, therefore, measured the estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of extracts of used firefighter gear to assess exposure to these agents. Methods: Extracts and known chemical contaminants were examined for estrogenicity and antiestrogenicity in yeast cells expressing the estrogen receptor. Results: Most extracts of used gear and phthalate diesters detectable on this gear displayed strong antiestrogenic effects. Notably, new glove and hood extracts showed significant estrogenic activity. Conclusions: Overall, our data suggest that firefighters are exposed to both estrogenic and antiestrogenic agents, possibly phthalates that may lead to health risks observed in this occupation as a result of perturbation of hormone homeostasis.