by Lauren Pafumi, Midwest Regional Support Office A team of researchers (Kevin Ashley, Mark Boeniger, and Eric Esswein) from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed and commercialized a new type of handwipe that effectively removes toxic metals from skin and other surfaces. This handwipe has the potential to provide a large public health benefit by significantly reducing workers' exposure to toxic metals, particularly lead. Controlling lead exposures in both the occupational and the public health fields is a national health priority. A variety of workers, including painters, abrasive blasters, welders, laborers, machinists, lead-acid battery plant workers, and auto body shop repair employees, are at risk for lead exposure and lead poisoning. The U.S. Public Health Service's objective for 2010 is to eliminate the occurrence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in employed adults. The NIOSH researchers demonstrated that washing with soap and water does not adequately remove lead (and other toxic metals) from worker's skin (hands), and can actually increase the penetration of lead into and across the skin. Despite this, workers and the public generally believed that washing their skin with soap and water to remove lead and toxic metals was effective. Building on previous research that led to a method of detecting lead contamination on skin, the team questioned why lead and other toxic metals remain on the skin after washing. The question—and the public and occupational health ramifications—led researchers to propose a hypothesis that surfaction and mechanical removal are not sufficient to remove toxic metals from skin. They hypothesized that pH adjustment, chelation and mechanical removal were required in addition to surfaction. The researchers developed a system of removal that was proven to be more effective than existing methods of skin cleansing. The technology consists of skin-safe, three-dimensionally textured absorbent wipes onto which a cationic surfactant and a weak acid are applied. The researchers incorporated their research, including multiple metal removal techniques in their wipes—surfaction, chelation, pH adjustment, and mechanical removal—to ensure that toxic metals are removed. According to team member Eric Esswein, these four factors are a "combination of secret herbs and spices" that collectively works better together than alone. The handwipe removal method provides a safer, more effective alternative to reducing contamination and exposure than washing with soap and water. "It was a really, really fun project," Esswein said. "It's particularly rewarding when you can see ideas translated into something tangible." The inventors realized the need to create and increase awareness for new technology by educating potential users about the problem and demonstrating that a solution was developed through laboratory and field research. The NIOSH team developed research results presentations to increase awareness of the technology and to persuade employers, employees, and potential licensing partners of its benefits, focusing first on the business sector instead of the science sector. The plan stressed the potential market size for the technology and how it could be packaged for public use easily and at a maximized profit. The researchers also published trade and journal articles and made presentations at occupational health conferences, describing the results of their research and emphasizing potential financial gains to companies implementing the technology. In 2007, the technology was licensed to MEDTOX Scientific, Inc., which will produce and market the handwipes both to the healthcare industry for removing lead contamination from the skin prior to collecting blood and to the industrial sector for removing lead contamination from dermal and workplace surfaces. With more than 20 years of experience in biological monitoring for toxic metals and a significant client base, MEDTOX is uniquely positioned to leverage the technology to impact the public and occupational health communities. MEDTOX has packaged the technology in single-unit wipes for clinical uses and in canisters for industrial or commercial use. A second licensing agreement has also been signed with a technology innovations company to produce the handwipe to be sold to the military, police and a variety of other response personnel to remove toxic residues from the skin after using firearms. A patent is pending for the technology, and the NIOSH team received a 2008 Midwest Region Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for its efforts related to the development and commercialization of this technology.
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