The protective clothing worn by wildland firefighters often contains PFAS, according to a new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The study also found PFAS in hoods and gloves worn by firefighters who respond to building fires.

Firefighters have more PFAS in their blood than the average person. It isn’t clear why, but one theory is that it comes from the protective equipment they wear during a fire—called turnout gear.

Our latest study showed that PFAS are present not only in the jacket and pants worn by firefighters, but also in many of the smaller protective garments.