Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Human Health Issues onSynthetic Turf

Human Health Issues onSynthetic Turf

Thomas Serensits

Penn State University

USA

Thomas Serensits

Penn State University

USA

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Human Health – Synthetic TurfHuman Health – Synthetic Turf

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Human Health Issues on Synthetic TurfHuman Health Issues on Synthetic Turf

• High SurfaceTemperature

• Risk of Skin Infection(Staphylococcusaureus)

• High SurfaceTemperature

• Risk of Skin Infection(Staphylococcusaureus)

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

High Surface TemperatureHigh Surface Temperature

• Traditional Astroturf

– 30° C hotter than natural grass (Buskirk, et al., 1971,

Koon et al., 1971, Kandelin, et al., 1976)

• Infilled Synthetic Turf

– Surface = 93° C (Williams and Pulley, 2002)

– Not as hot as traditional Astroturf (McNitt et al.,

2008)

• Traditional Astroturf

– 30° C hotter than natural grass (Buskirk, et al., 1971,

Koon et al., 1971, Kandelin, et al., 1976)

• Infilled Synthetic Turf

– Surface = 93° C (Williams and Pulley, 2002)

– Not as hot as traditional Astroturf (McNitt et al.,

2008)

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Research ObjectiveResearch Objective

• Investigatetechniques to reducesurface temperatureof infilled syntheticturf

– Irrigation

– Amendments to infill

– Tarping

• Investigatetechniques to reducesurface temperatureof infilled syntheticturf

– Irrigation

– Amendments to infill

– Tarping

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Surface Temperature Research atPenn State

Surface Temperature Research atPenn State

• 9 synthetic turfproducts

• Irrigation

• Tarp covering

• Calcined clay

• 9 synthetic turfproducts

• Irrigation

• Tarp covering

• Calcined clay

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

IrrigationIrrigation

• 2 cm of water appliedat midday

• Infrared Thermometer

• Test 1: air temp = 30° C

• Test 2: air temp = 25° C

• 2 cm of water appliedat midday

• Infrared Thermometer

• Test 1: air temp = 30° C

• Test 2: air temp = 25° C

• ANOVA

• Dunnett’s Test

– Temperature at eachtime interval to pre-irrigation temperature

• ANOVA

• Dunnett’s Test

– Temperature at eachtime interval to pre-irrigation temperature

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

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Astroplay Fieldturf GeoturfAstorturf Nexturf SofsportOmnigrass 51 Omnigrass 41 Sprintturf

Surface temperature of synthetic turf surfaces on 03 Aug

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

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Sofsport Omni 5100 Omni 4100 Sprintturf Nat turf

Surface temperature of unirrigated Kentucky Bluegrassplots

Surface temperature of unirrigated plotsSurface temperature of plots prior to irrigation

Surface temperature of plots immediately after irrigation

Surface temperature of synthetic turf surfaces on 02 June

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Calcined ClayCalcined Clay

• Prolong the coolingeffect of irrigation?

• 80:20 m3 m-3

• Compared tostandard turf systems

• Irrigation at 1:00 PM

• Prolong the coolingeffect of irrigation?

• 80:20 m3 m-3

• Compared tostandard turf systems

• Irrigation at 1:00 PM

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

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Astroturf Fieldturf Rubber + ProfileSprinturf KBG Asphalt

Surface temperature of plots prior toirrigation

Surface temperature immediately after irrigation

Surface temperature of unirrigatedplots

Surface temperature of unirrigated Kentucky Bluegrassplots

Surface temperature of synthetic turf surfaces including infillamended with Profile (calcined clay) on 02 June

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Tarp CoveringTarp Covering

• 2 cm of water - 6:00 AM

• Tarp removed - 1:00 PM

• Temperatures recordedfor 3 hours

• Result: No difference

• 2 cm of water - 6:00 AM

• Tarp removed - 1:00 PM

• Temperatures recordedfor 3 hours

• Result: No difference

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Surface Temperature ConclusionsSurface Temperature Conclusions

• Temperatures rebounded 20 minutes afterwatering

– 10 degrees cooler than non-watered for 3 hours

• Calcined clay, tarping – no effect

• Cloud cover and haze influence

• Temperatures rebounded 20 minutes afterwatering

– 10 degrees cooler than non-watered for 3 hours

• Calcined clay, tarping – no effect

• Cloud cover and haze influence

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Human Health Issues on Synthetic TurfHuman Health Issues on Synthetic Turf

• High Surface Temperature

• Risk of Skin Infection (Staphylococcusaureus)

• High Surface Temperature

• Risk of Skin Infection (Staphylococcusaureus)

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Risk of Skin InfectionRisk of Skin Infection

• Staphylococcusaureus bacteria

• Methicillin-resistantS. aureus (MRSA)

• Synthetic turf –harboring S. aureus?– Antimicrobial

Treatments

• Staphylococcusaureus bacteria

• Methicillin-resistantS. aureus (MRSA)

• Synthetic turf –harboring S. aureus?– Antimicrobial

Treatments

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Research ObjectiveResearch Objective

• Determine if S. aureus bacterium is presenton infilled synthetic turf

• Determine if S. aureus bacterium is presenton infilled synthetic turf

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

S. Aureus SurveyS. Aureus Survey

• 20 fields (summer)

• Indoor and outdoor

• High and low useareas

• All bacteria and S.aureus

• 20 fields (summer)

• Indoor and outdoor

• High and low useareas

• All bacteria and S.aureus

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

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Infill Type

High Use Low Use* = Indoor Field

Colony forming units (CFU) detected on R2Amedia per gram of crumb rubber infill or rootzone

CFUs g-1: Indoor (0-7267) vs. Outdoor (0-80,000)

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

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Colony forming units (CFU) detected on R2Amedia per gram of crumb rubber infill or rootzone

Natural Grass

No S. aureus found via selective media, gram stain,or latex agglutination tests at any test location

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Additional Survey FindingsAdditional Survey Findings

• Fibers – fewer CFUs

• Microbial colonies – fungi and bacteria

• S. aureus temperature range: 7-48° C (37° C)

• Fibers – fewer CFUs

• Microbial colonies – fungi and bacteria

• S. aureus temperature range: 7-48° C (37° C)

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Surfaces that test positive (+) or negative (-) for thepresence of S. aureus colonies

Surfaces that test positive (+) or negative (-) for thepresence of S. aureus colonies

Source ResultPublic areasHuman hands +Human faces +Computer mouse -Elevator button -Outside door handle -Computer keyboard -

Source ResultAthletic training facilityNatural turfgrass playingfield

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Synthetic turf playing field -Cold pool -Blocking pads* +Sauna -Football* -Weight equipment* +Towel hamper -Stretching table +Used towels* +Trash can for drink cups -*Sampled immediately after use

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

S. Aureus on Synthetic TurfS. Aureus on Synthetic Turf

• Synthetic turf - moreabrasive than naturalgrass

• Skin Break = EntryPoint

• Synthetic turf - moreabrasive than naturalgrass

• Skin Break = EntryPoint

http://www.simonlangley.co.uk

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

• Increased incidence of S. aureus infectionfor athletes who shave ankles prior totaping

– Small cuts from shaving create entry points

• Increased incidence of S. aureus infectionfor athletes who shave ankles prior totaping

– Small cuts from shaving create entry points

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

Conclusions - Skin Infections onSynthetic Turf

Conclusions - Skin Infections onSynthetic Turf

• Synthetic turf is not a breeding ground forS. aureus

• Infections most likely in locker room, weightroom

• Abrasions create entry points for bacteria

• Synthetic turf is not a breeding ground forS. aureus

• Infections most likely in locker room, weightroom

• Abrasions create entry points for bacteria

Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface ResearchPenn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

College of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences

http://ssrc.psu.edu/