Biophysical and Physiological Evaluation of the Individual Chemical Threat AgentProtective Patient Wrap

摘要

Air permeability of the chemical threat agent protective patient wrap (WRAP) wasreduced by nearly 50% during production compared to the prototype. This study determined if the original recommendations for safe encapsulation time were valid for the production WRAP. Reduced air permeability could affect the thermal properties of the WRAP and the composition of the atmosphere within the WRAP, therefore, a biophysical evaluation of the production WRAP was performed. Biophysical evaluation demonstrated slight differences in thermal and water vapor resistance between the prototype and production WRAPS. However, the capacity for evaporative cooling and the heat strain experienced during encapsulation should not be significantly different between the two WRAPS. Physiologic testing of volunteers during a 6 h encapsulation in the production WRAP, in a comfortable (24 C/20 % rh) environment, decreased the mean 02 concentration 0.9 and increased CO2 concentration 0.7 during the first 15 min of encapsulation and remained stable for the 6 h test.