@article{deshpande_girase_king_2023, title={Degradation of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Resorbable Multifilament Yarn under Physiological Conditions}, volume={15}, ISSN={["2073-4360"]}, DOI={10.3390/polym15183819}, abstractNote={Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a hydrophobic, resorbable aliphatic polymer recognized for its low tenacity and extensive elongation at break, making it a popular choice for fabricating biodegradable tissue engineering scaffolds. PCL’s slow degradation rate typically results in a complete resorption period of 2 to 3 years. While numerous studies have examined the degradation of PCL in various forms such as films and webs, no study to date has investigated its physiological degradation in multifilament yarn form. In this study, we subjected PCL multifilament yarn samples to physiological conditions in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) maintained at a consistent temperature of 37 ± 2 °C and agitated at 45 rpm for a period of 32 weeks. We retrieved samples at five different intervals to analyze the degradation profile of the multifilament yarn. This allowed us to estimate the complete resorption time and rate under these in vitro conditions. Over the 32-week period, the multifilament yarn’s mass decreased by 4.8%, its elongation at break declined by 42%, the tenacity dropped by 40%, and the peak load at break fell by 46.5%. Based on these findings, we predict that a scaffold structure incorporating PCL multifilament yarn would undergo complete resorption in approximately 14 months under physiological conditions, such as in PBS solution at a pH of approximately 7 and a temperature of 37 °C.}, number={18}, journal={POLYMERS}, author={Deshpande, Monica V. and Girase, Arjunsing and King, Martin W.}, year={2023}, month={Sep} }
 @article{hossain_girase_ormond_2023, title={Evaluating the performance of surfactant and charcoal-based cleaning products to effectively remove PAHs from firefighter gear}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2296-8016"]}, DOI={10.3389/fmats.2023.1142777}, abstractNote={Firefighters regularly respond to fire scenes where a mixture of chemicals including volatile, semi-volatile, and nonvolatile compounds are present in smoke and soot. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants at fire scenes that may be deposited on the gear and the individual firefighter. Laundering is a common approach for the decontamination of contaminated gear. Surfactants are widely used by firefighters during laundering to remove PAHs as they are generally non-toxic and biodegradable. The removal of PAHs depends on the surfactant types, chemistries, and concentrations. This study evaluated the effect of surfactant concentrations to remove persistent contaminants like PAHs from turnout gear. The cleaning performance of different types of surfactants was also evaluated. Outer shell fabrics were contaminated with a standard mixture of 16 PAH compounds, and two commercial detergents were used at different concentrations. Additionally, the cleaning efficacy of eight commercially available regular and charcoal-based cleaning products was also determined against PAHs at a single surfactant concentration. For the decontamination method, a bench-scale washing procedure simulating the National Fire Protection Assocation 1851 laundering process was used. The removal efficacy of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs were found to be lower compared to the low molecular weight PAHs for any type or any concentration of detergent. Our research also showed that the recommended surfactant concentrations provided by detergent manufacturers can be ineffective at removing the HMW PAHs from heavily contaminated fabric. With 1 mL of detergent in a 100-mL bath, which is multiple times higher than recommended amount, only 40% of HMW PAHs were removed. The cleaning efficacy can be increased to above 90% by using higher concentrations of detergents. This research shows that firefighters may need to use a higher concentration of detergent than the recommended amount to effectively remove PAHs from the gear. All the regular and charcoal-based detergents were able to remove PAHs effectively from contaminated fabrics when a higher concentration of detergent was used.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN MATERIALS}, author={Hossain, M. D. Tanjim and Girase, Arjunsing G. and Ormond, R. Bryan}, year={2023}, month={May} }
 @misc{mazumder_hossain_jahura_girase_hall_lu_ormond_2023, title={Firefighters' exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an occupational hazard: A review}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2296-8016"]}, DOI={10.3389/fmats.2023.1143411}, abstractNote={The term “firefighter” and “cancer” have become so intertwined in the past decade that they are now nearly inseparable. Occupational exposure of firefighters to carcinogenic chemicals may increase their risk of developing different types of cancer. PFAS are one of the major classes of carcinogenic chemicals that firefighters are exposed to as occupational hazard. Elevated levels of PFAS have been observed in firefighters’ blood serum in recent studies. Possible sources of occupational exposure to PFAS include turnout gear, aqueous film-forming foam, and air and dust at both the fire scene and fire station. Preliminary discussion on PFAS includes definition, classification, and chemical structure. The review is then followed by identifying the sources of PFAS that firefighters may encounter as an occupational hazard. The structural properties of the PFAS used in identified sources, their degradation, and exposure pathways are reviewed. The elevated level of PFAS in the blood serum and how this might associate with an increased risk of cancer is discussed. Our review shows a significant amount of PFAS on turnout gear and their migration to untreated layers, and how turnout gear itself might be a potential source of PFAS exposure. PFAS from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), air, and dust of fire stations have been already established as potential exposure sources. Studies on firefighters’ cancer suggest that firefighters have a higher cancer risk compared to the general population. This review suggests that increased exposure to PFAS as an occupational hazard could be a potential cancer risk for firefighters.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN MATERIALS}, publisher={Frontiers Media SA}, author={Mazumder, Nur-Us-Shafa and Hossain, Md Tanjim and Jahura, Fatema Tuj and Girase, Arjunsing and Hall, Andrew Stephen and Lu, Jingtian and Ormond, R. Bryan}, year={2023}, month={Mar} }
 @article{girase_thompson_ormond_2023, title={Impact of conventional and advanced cleaning techniques on the durability of firefighter turnout ensembles}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2296-8016"]}, DOI={10.3389/fmats.2023.1138652}, abstractNote={The concern for firefighters’ occupational exposure to harmful contaminants is growing due to the increase in health issues in the firefighting community. At such times, effective decontamination of personnel and equipment is an essential component of a hazard mitigation strategy. The current decontamination practices used for firefighter protective clothing have been shown to not be very effective. Hence, the scientific community is looking for several alternatives to conventional washing procedures. Liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) has been used in laundering and has distinct advantages over conventional dry-cleaning solvents such as perchloroethylene. The following study is aimed to assess how different washing procedures affect the durability of the turnout material. The study includes using three washing procedures on different samples: 1) conventional washing procedure, 2) liquid CO2 washing procedure, and 3) a high-temperature washing procedure. Samples for durability testing were constructed from a common aramid fabric used in firefighter turnout ensembles. These swatches were subjected to different washing techniques. The durability assessment was performed for physical testing of the samples, visual inspection, water repellency, and quantifying color changes using spectrophotometric analysis. The conventional wash and high-temperature washing affected the durability of the outer shell material in a significant manner. The liquid CO2 process did not affect the samples’ water repellency or physical strength. In contrast, conventional and high-temperature washing significantly affected the durability of the outer shell material. However, all samples met the criteria for tearing strength outlined in the NFPA 1971 standard subsection 7.1.11.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN MATERIALS}, author={Girase, Arjunsing and Thompson, Donald B. and Ormond, R. Bryan}, year={2023}, month={Jul} }
 @article{mazumder_lu_hall_kasebi_girase_masoud_stull_ormond_2023, title={Toward the future of firefighter gear: Assessing fluorinated and non-fluorinated outer shells following simulated on-the-job exposures}, volume={53}, ISSN={["1530-8057"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1177/15280837231217401}, DOI={10.1177/15280837231217401}, abstractNote={In 2022, the occupation of firefighting was categorized as a “Group 1” carcinogen, meaning it is known to be carcinogenic to humans. The personal protective equipment that structural firefighters wear is designed to safeguard them from thermal, physical, and chemical hazards while maintaining thermo-physiological comfort. Typically, the outer layer of structural turnout gear is finished with a durable water and oil-repellent (DWR) based on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that helps limit exposure to water and hazardous liquids. The PFAS-based aqueous emulsion typically used in DWR finishes is highly persistent and can cause various health problems if absorbed into the body through ingestion, inhalation, and/or dermal absorption. In response, the U.S. Fire Service has begun using non-PFAS water repellants in firefighter turnout gear. This study aims to evaluate the performance of both traditional PFAS-based and alternative non-PFAS outer shell materials. The study involved exposing both PFAS-based and non-PFAS DWR outer shell materials in turnout composites to simulated job exposures (i.e., weathering, thermal exposure, and laundering) that artificially aged the materials. After exposures, samples were evaluated for repellency, durability, thermal protection, and surface chemistry analysis to determine any potential performance trade-offs that may exist. Non-PFAS outer shell fabrics were found not to be diesel/oil-repellent, posing a potential flammability hazard if exposed to diesel and subsequent flame on an emergency response. Both PFAS-based and non-PFAS sets of fabrics performed similarly in terms of thermal protective performance, tearing strength, and water repellency. The surface analysis suggests that both PFAS and non-PFAS chemistries can degrade and shed from fabrics during the aging process. The study indicates that firefighters should be educated and trained regarding the potential performance trade-offs, such as oil absorption and flammability concerns when transitioning to non-PFAS outer shell materials.}, journal={JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEXTILES}, author={Mazumder, Nur-Us-Shafa and Lu, Jingtian and Hall, Andrew Stephen and Kasebi, Arash and Girase, Arjunsing and Masoud, Farzaneh and Stull, Jeffrey O. and Ormond, R. Bryan}, year={2023}, month={Nov} }