An innovative Fuller's earth-based film-forming formulation for skin decontamination, through removal and entrapment of an organophosphorus compound, paraoxon-ethyl.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs), such as VX, pose a significant threat due to their neurotoxic and hazardous properties. Skin decontamination is essential to avoid irreversible effects. Fuller's earth (FE), a phyllosilicate conventionally employed in powder form, has demonstrated decontamination capacity against OPs. The aim of this study was to develop a formulation that forms a film on the skin, with a significant OP removal capacity (>95 %) coupled with sequestration capabilities, favorable drying time and mechanical properties to allow for easy application and removal, particularly in emergency context. Various formulations were prepared using different concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), FE and surfactants. Their removal and sequestration capacity was tested using paraoxon-ethyl (POX), a chemical that simulates the behavior of VX. Formulations with removal capacity levels surpassing 95 % were mechanically characterized and cell viability assays were performed on Normal Human Dermal Fibroblast (NHDF). The four most promising formulations were used to assess decontamination efficacy on pig ear skin explants. These formulations showed decontamination levels ranging from 84.4 ± 4.7 % to 96.5 ± 1.3 %, which is equivalent to current decontamination methods. These results suggest that this technology could be a novel and effective tool for skin decontamination following exposure to OPs.

Aqueous suspensions of Fuller's earth potentiate the adsorption capacities of paraoxon and improve skin decontamination properties.

Fuller's earth (FE) is a phyllosilicate used as a powder for household or skin decontamination due to its adsorbent properties. Recent studies have shown that water suspensions exhibit similar adsorbent capacities. FE is heterogeneous due to its composition of elementary clay aggregates and heavy metal particles. Here, FE toxicity was assessed in vitro on skin cells and in vivo on Danio rerio embryos. Among the suspensions tested (5%, 9.1% and 15% w/w), only the highest one shows weak toxicity. Suspensions were tested for ex vivo dermal decontamination into pig ear skin and human abdominal skin using diffusion cells and paraoxon as organophosphorus contaminant. After 24 h of diffusion, no difference was observed in the paraoxon concentration in the receptor compartment whether the decontamination was carried out with FE in powder or in suspension form. In presence of FE suspensions, we observed the disappearance of paraoxon from the stratum corneum, the reservoir compartment, independently of the suspensions' concentration. We suggest that water potentiates the absorbing capacities of FE powder by intercalating between clay lamellas leading to the appearance of new adsorption zones and swelling. These data support the use of FE aqueous suspensions as a safe tool for organophosphorus skin decontamination.