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Comparison of four different fuller's earth formulations in skin decontamination
Author(s) -
Roul Annick,
Le CongAnhKhanh,
Gustin MariePaule,
Clavaud Emmanuel,
Verrier Bernard,
Pirot Fabrice,
Falson Françoise
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.3506
Subject(s) - human decontamination , adsorption , aqueous solution , contamination , ex vivo , chemistry , suspension (topology) , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , nuclear chemistry , pulp and paper industry , materials science , chromatography , waste management , chemical engineering , in vitro , organic chemistry , biochemistry , ecology , mathematics , homotopy , pure mathematics , engineering , biology
Industrial accidents, wars and terrorist threats are potential sources of skin contamination by highly toxic chemical warfare agents and manufacturing compounds. We have compared the time‐dependent adsorption capacity and decontamination efficiency of fuller's earth (FE) for four different formulations for the molecular tracer, 4‐cyanophenol (4‐CP), in vitro and ex vivo using water decontamination as standard. The adsorption capacity of FE was assessed in vitro for 4‐CP aqueous solutions whereas decontamination efficiency was investigated ex vivo by tracking porcine skin 4‐CP content using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Decontamination was performed on short time, exposed porcine skin to 4‐CP by application of FE: (1) as free powder; (2) loaded on adhesive tape; (3) on powdered glove; or (4) in suspension. Removal rate of 4‐CP from aqueous solutions correlates with the amount of FE and its contact time. Decontamination efficiency estimated by the percentage of 4‐CP recovery from contaminated porcine skin, achieved 54% with water, ranged between ~60 and 70% with dry FE and reached ~90% with FE suspension. Successful decontamination of the FE suspension, enabling a dramatic reduction of skin contamination after a brief exposure scenario, appears to be rapid, reliable and should be formulated in a new device ready to use for self‐application.