Prediction of Steam Burns Severity using Raman Spectroscopy on ex vivo Porcine Skin

Abstract

Skin burns due to accidental exposure to hot steam have often been reported to be more severe than the ones occurring from dry heat. While skin burns due to flames or radiant heat have been thoroughly characterized, the mechanisms leading to steam burns are not well understood and a conundrum still exists: can second degree burns occur without destruction of the epidermis, i.e. even before first degree burns are detected? Skin permeability is dependent both on temperature and on the kinetic energy of incoming water molecules. To investigate the mechanism underlying the injuries related to steam exposure, we used porcine skin as an ex vivo model. This model was exposed to either steam or dry heat before measuring the skin hydration via confocal Raman microspectroscopy. The results show that during the first minute of exposure to steam, the water content in both the epidermis and dermis increases. By analyzing different mechanisms of steam diffusion through the multiple skin layers, as well as the moisture-assisted bio-heat transfer, we provide a novel model explaining why steam burns can be more severe, and why steam can penetrate deeper and much faster than an equivalent dry heat.

Injury Threshold of Oral Contact with Hot Foods and Method for Its Sensory Evaluation

“…To assess the risk of injury of human skin from contacting hot surfaces, there is a relatively extensive literature [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and thresholds have been specified in standards and guidelines [11,12]. On the other hand, the risk of injury to the oral mucosa from hot foodstuffs has been little studied.…”

Aggregation Kinetics of TiO2 Nanoparticles in Human and Artificial Sweat Solutions: Effects of Particle Properties and Sweat Constituents

“…Upon dermal exposure, TiO 2 NPs may penetrate through the stratum corneum (SC) as the first defensive layer with pore sizes varying from less than 0.4 nm to approximately 100 nm via transcellular, intercellular, and transappendageal routes. − Hair follicles may provide an alternative route for the transdermal delivery of TiO 2 NPs across the SC . Human forearm in vivo experiments showed that 20 nm cubic and 100 nm acicular TiO 2 penetrated the outermost layer of SC .…”

Media Characterization under Scattering Conditions by Nanophotonics Iterative Multiplane Spectroscopy Measurements

“…It is an important tool for determining structural information of solid and liquid media and chemical bonding changes. RS as a nondestructive technique has been applied in analytical chemistry, skin studies, , food analysis, and detection of exogenous substances in latent fingerprints where it is important not to harm the samples. Another technique is the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) that uses the NIR radiation (780–2500 nm) and the light attenuation by the sample to understand its chemical constitution and physical parameters. , The use of the NIR region allows a greater penetration depth for biomedical applications, meaning it is useful for probing bulk materials; however, the tradeoff is the technique sensitivity .…”