UW grad student researching alternatives to PFAS in firefighter gear

The son of a former Cambridge firefighter is looking to come up with an alternative to chemicals used in firefighting turnout gear.

Drew Davidson is a graduate student at the University of Waterloo (UW) studying nanotechnology and chemical engineering. He said he was researching water repellant coatings when his mom asked him about certain chemicals used in firefighting gear called Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS).

“I started looking into the issue, and I realized it was actually pretty close to what I had been working on,” said Davidson while appearing on The Mike Farwell Show this week. “This is a really pressing topic that’s affecting a lot of people that we hold in high regard (firefighters) and I should do something about it.”

Firefighter turnout gear has a moisture barrier layer that prevents carcinogens from affecting firefighters in burning buildings. That moisture barrier uses PFAS that repels water and oil from getting onto the person themselves. Studies have found the chemical has been linked to serious health problems, including cancer.

The International Association of Firefighters and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association came out in 2022 warning their members of the risks of PFAS in fire gear.

“It’s kind of a catch-22 for firefighters because they are relying on these suits, and this chemical in particular to protect themselves from the carcinogens that they are going to be running into at fire scenes,” said Davidson. “But, this chemical itself is also carcinogenic when they’re being exposed to it.”

He noted that he has made progress on an alternative in the lab, but the issue is any replacement needs to work as well as what it is replacing. Attempts have seen the material being heavier to get the same effect.

“Maybe it’s not as easy for the firefighters to wear, or it doesn’t let them shed the heat they’re building up,” said Davidson. “These are all problems you have to factor in to think about any kind of a replacement.”

Davidson has met with various fire chiefs, including in Waterloo, and the Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. He added his team was awarded the first Deep Tech Commercialization Scholarship from UW, and that it will help speed up the timeline to get it into the hands of firefighters.