Unseen Hazards: How a Simple Wipe Test Reveals PFAS on Firefighter Gear
Summary
- Sylvester researchers validated a non-destructive wipe test to detect PFAS on firefighter gear and SCBA masks, revealing contamination on every set tested.
- The Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative pairs this breakthrough with statewide prevention efforts to reduce occupational cancer risk.
- By making PFAS detection practical and routine, the method empowers departments to improve gear hygiene and protect firefighters from invisible, long-term hazards.
The flames die down. The sirens fade. Firefighters peel off their gear, thinking the danger has passed. But in the quiet aftermath, another enemy lingers, an invisible film of “forever chemicals” clinging to jackets, pants and masks.
Researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, have developed a way to see what the eye cannot. A simple wipe test reveals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on protective gear without damaging it. Published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, the study, completed in partnership with senior co-author Natalia Soares Quinete, Ph.D., a researcher at the Institute of Environment, Florida International University, offers a practical tool to help firefighters reduce exposure to chemicals linked to cancer.
“Think of it as turning on a blacklight in a dark room,” said Alberto Caban-Martinez, Ph.D., D.O., M.P.H., deputy director and investigator at Sylvester’s Firefighter Cancer Initiative (FCI). “Suddenly, you see what’s been hiding all along.”
PFAS are heat-resistant compounds used in foams and coatings. They don’t burn, don’t break down and don’t leave easily. In the study, researchers swabbed high-contact areas of turnout gear and SCBA masks with damp polypropylene wipes, then analyzed the extracts using advanced mass spectrometry.
The results were alarming. Every gear set carried PFAS, with concentrations reaching hundreds of nanograms per gram. The most common culprit? 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate, a chemical often tied to firefighting foams. Even inside breathing masks, where firefighters expect clean air, PFAS traces were found.
“It’s like smoke that never clears,” said Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H., co-author of the study and director and principal investigator of Sylvester FCI. “These chemicals ride home on gear, settle in firehouses and can end up in the bloodstream.”
“Our analytical data show that PFAS don’t just linger in the environment—they accumulate directly on the surfaces firefighters rely on every day,” said Dr. Quinete. “Using these simple, non‑destructive wipes, we were able to detect a complex mixture of PFAS on the gear and inside SCBA masks, measuring both dermal and inhalation PFAS contributions to firefighters’ occupational exposure.”
A Culture Shift in the Fire Service
For decades, soot-streaked gear was a badge of honor. Today, Sylvester FCI is rewriting that story. Through research, education and advocacy, the initiative has helped transform firehouse culture, making cleanliness a survival tactic, not an afterthought.
The Sylvester FCI’s work spans mobile cancer screening clinics, decontamination kits and training programs in English and Spanish. It also champions policies like Florida’s presumptive cancer law, which provides financial support for firefighters diagnosed with occupational cancers.
With tools like this, firefighters can battle the unseen blaze, and we can help extinguish cancer in our first responders.
Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez
“Our pledge is to protect those who protect us,” said Dr. Kobetz, also associate director of community outreach and engagement at Sylvester and the John K. and Judy H. Schulte Senior Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. “From gear testing to health screenings, every step moves us closer to a safer fire service.”
Cancer the Leading Cause of Firefighter Deaths
Cancer is now the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths. Modern fires fueled by synthetic materials release a toxic cocktail—benzene, dioxins, asbestos fibers—that clings to gear and skin. PFAS add another layer of risk, persisting like stubborn shadows long after the flames are gone.
Forever chemicals are linked to increased risks of several cancers, particularly kidney and testicular cancers, with evidence also pointing to links with breast, prostate, and endocrine cancers, as they disrupt hormones, damage DNA,and alter the immune system, accumulating in the body over time.
The wipe test is more than a lab trick. It’s a decision-making tool. When should firefighters clean gear? How do they bag and transport it? Which items need deep decontamination before the next call? The method doesn’t damage textiles, so it can be used routinely after high-foam incidents or multi-alarm fires without sidelining equipment.
From Data to Action
The study didn’t stop at detection. Using physiologically based toxicokinetic modeling, researchers estimated how surface contamination could translate into internal exposure. The takeaway? Even trace PFAS on gear can contribute to cumulative risk over a career.
“We want PFAS to stay off skin, off gear and out of stations,” said co-author Natasha Schaefer Solle, Ph.D., RN, Sylvester FCI deputy director and investigator and a Miller School research associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology. “A quick wipe test helps crews make smarter choices, before invisible hazards become lifelong burdens.”
The Road Ahead
Imagine a future where every firehouse has a PFAS dashboard, powered by AI-driven analytics, mapping contamination hotspots and predicting risk trends. That’s the vision behind Sylvester’s approach, pairing practical science with digital intelligence to keep firefighters safer.
The wipe test is a first step, a flashlight in the dark. But combined with Sylvester FCI’s broader initiatives, it signals a new era where prevention is as heroic as response.
“With tools like this, firefighters can battle the unseen blaze, and we can help extinguish cancer in our first responders,” said Dr. Caban-Martinez.
Tags: cancer research, Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez, Dr. Erin Kobetz, Dr. Natasha Schaefer Solle, Newsroom, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative