Researchers from the University of Arizona have reported that firefighters in Arizona had the highest concentrations of PFAS in their blood when compared to other frontline occupations.
The study included blood samples from 1,960 workers, including 280 firefighters, 787 healthcare workers and 734 other essential personnel.
According to the university, firefighters consistently showed the highest levels of PFAS, which are synthetic chemicals used in firefighting foams and water- and stain-resistant materials.
Jeff Burgess, co-author of the study, said the findings confirm that occupational exposure is a contributing factor. The university noted that the results are in line with previous research.
The University of Arizona reported that healthcare workers also showed moderately elevated PFAS levels compared with other essential workers such as teachers.
Burgess said: “For healthcare workers, some of the potential exposures that we think deserve additional study include some of the water and kind of grease resistant type of materials that they may be using to protect themselves, let’s say from bodily fluids.”
He added that protective clothing and surgical masks may also contain PFAS.
The university stated that almost all adults have measurable levels of PFAS, though certain professions are more heavily exposed.
Burgess is also the director of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study, a national project collecting biological samples from firefighters to monitor exposures and investigate methods to lower cancer risk.
Burgess said: “As well as stopping or reversing some of the changes that occur at a cellular level prior to the development of cancer in firefighters.”
The University of Arizona said the study was initiated after a request from John Gulotta, Safety and Wellness Captain at Tucson Fire Department, in response to a denied cancer claim of fire cause investigator Tom Quesnel.
Gulotta said: “We had a fire cause investigator Tom Quesnel that was diagnosed with one of the five presumptive cancers and his diagnosis through the state was denied as a presumptive cancer.”
According to the University of Arizona, Arizona law presumes that several cancers in firefighters arise from occupational exposure. However, Quesnel’s case was not recognised under these provisions due to a lack of specific research evidence.
Gulotta recounted: “One day in late 2013, Tom [Quesnel] had come into my office and it was the week that he knew he was not coming back to work and he was cleaning out his office and he came into mine and he sat down across from me and it’s sad to say that I didn’t recognize Tom because of all his treatments and the care that he was going through to help fight his cancer to help fight his cancer, it had changed him physically and it was heartbreaking to see that.”
Gulotta said Quesnel made three requests before stepping away from the department.
Gulotta said: “We needed to make the state understand presumptive, the definition of presumptive because they just obviously didn’t get it and which that’s why I needed the University of Arizona.
“The two other favors he asked were to take care of his fire cause investigators and to work with them on improving their protection.”
Gulotta added: “The last thing he asked for was not to let another family suffer like his.”
The university reported that subsequent interventions have focused on improving protective equipment use.
Wearing breathing gear during fire incidents may reduce exposure by up to 40 percent, and washing gear after an incident may reduce chemical contact by 33 percent.
Burgess said: “It’s really important to understand that these research questions, this whole project came about because firefighters asked for it.
“They are interested in gathering information that helps them make their jobs safer and can preserve their health.”
The University of Arizona has reported that firefighters had the highest blood concentrations of PFAS among 1,960 frontline workers studied.
The study included 280 firefighters, 787 healthcare workers and 734 other essential workers.
Healthcare workers showed moderately higher PFAS levels than teachers.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in firefighting foams and protective gear.
Jeff Burgess, co-author of the study, said the data reflects occupational exposure risks.
The study was initiated after Tucson Fire Department raised concerns over denied cancer claims.
Fire investigator Tom Quesnel’s presumptive cancer claim was not approved due to lack of research.
Arizona law lists specific cancers as presumed occupational illnesses for firefighters.
Burgess also leads the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study to monitor and reduce exposure.
Protective equipment and hygiene practices can reduce chemical exposure by up to 40 percent.
The Cohort Study includes nearly 7,500 firefighters from over 350 departments in 31 states.
Burgess said the study’s direction is driven by firefighter requests for health data.
