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Fire Fighters’ multiple exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFC) and 2-butoxyethanol present in AFFFsJ. Laitinena, J. Koponenb, J. Koikkalainenc, H. Kivirantab
a Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Neulaniementie 4, FI-70101 Kuopio, Finland
b National Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, FI-70101 Kuopio, Finland
c University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistoranta 1, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
• Aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) are used to extinguish hydrocarbon-fuel and chemical solvent fires
• Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen
• This can happened with help of fluorinated (F) and hydrocarbon surfactants (S), they form a film of aqueous solution covered from both sides by monolayers of mixed surfactants
• Most common components in AFFFs concentrates are solvents (2-butoxyethanol or 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol) which are required for solubilisation of surfactants and as anti-freesing agents, and foam stabilizers.
• AFFFs might contain also fluorinated (PFAS-compounds or fluorotelomers) and hydrocarbon surfactants (sodium alkyl sulfate), which are critical for the foaming and vapour-sealant properties and stability of the foam.
• Foams will also contain small amounts chemicals that are used as buffers, corrosion inhibitors, polymeric stabilisers, foam thickeners and agents enhancing foam film spreading
• Fire fighters’ exposure to PFC-compounds was evaluated by serum samples taken before first training and two weeks after three training sessions (3.3., 31.3. and 6.5.).
• All samples were analysed by LC-MS/MS in National Institute for Health and Welfare
5. RESULTS-Effects of dietary upatake, hobbies and work history to PFC –excretion, the best fire fighting foam for future needs
• We did not able to find correlation between measured serum PFAS concentrations and recorded information about fire fighters’ dietary intake, hobbies and work history
• The best fire fighting foam was Bio Ex Ecopol 3X3//3X6.
• It has enough low freesing point, so it working also in cold environments.
• It’s surfactants were PFC-free
• It fulfilled future requirements of biofuels concerning alcohol resistance
6. CONCLUSIONS• Fire fighters’ average excretion levels of PFAS compounds were
higher than average excretion of general population in Finland (PFOS 7 ng/ml, PFOA 3 ng/ml, PFHxS 1 ng/ml and PFNA 1 ng/ml.)
• The excretion of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS and PFNA increased during the training session, which reflects slight accumulation of PFAS-compounds during training period.
• The excretion of PFHxS showed the highest increase during training sessions. So it seemed to be the best indicator of exposure to PHAS-compounds during usage of Sthamex –foam.
• Fire fighters’ average excretion of 2-butoxyacetic acid exceeded the limit for general population, which also indicate slight exposure to 2-butoxyethanol
• In the selection of AFFFs for liquid fires, non-fluorine based products should be favoured in the future. Alcohol resistance properties of foams must also be taken into account due to the increased use of biofuels. Bio Ex Ecopol 3X3//3X6 fulfilled all these requirements