Firefighters’ jobs are inherently dangerous, but they are put at risk by more than the blazes they face. Their work exposes them to carcinogens from burning materials, as well as toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from flame-suppressing foams. A new study finds that firefighters can also be exposed to PFAS from another source: their protective clothing (Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00410). Multilayered garments called turnout gear are made with fluoropolymer textiles and treated with PFAS for water resistance. Graham F. Peaslee of the University of Notre Dame and colleagues used particle-induced γ-ray emission spectroscopy to measure fluorine levels in 30 used and unused sets of gear. They found that over time, as the layers rub against each other, PFAS migrate from a moisture barrier and a water-resistant outer shell to an inner thermal layer that contacts the skin. A fluorine-laden dust sample collected from a textile storage