Evaluation of the Vapor Protection Capabilities of the Jacket/Trouser Interfaceon the Regulation Ground-Crew Chemical Defense Ensemble

摘要

The ground-crew chemical defense ensemble (CDE) has deficiencies in its abilityto prevent chemical warfare (CW) simulant vapors from leaking past the outer charcoal layer in the abdominal region when personnel wearing this CDE perform exercise in a simulant CW agent vapor. The purpose of this study was to determine the site and amount of vapor penetration. A charcoal-fabric cummerbund was used as an experimental tool to prevent vapor from leaking through the jacket/trouser interface. Test subjects, wearing the ground-crew CDE with and without cummerbund, performed exercises in a CW simulant vapor (methyl salicylate). While subjects were exposed to the simulant vapor, vapor concentrations were measured under the CDE jacket in the abdominal region. After removing the CDE in a vapor-free area, subjects entered sealed offgassing booths where simulant vapor levels were continuously measured. Subjects wearing a cummerbund had 80% lower abdominal vapor concentrations and 33% lower maximum offgassing booth concentrations than subjects that did not wear a cummerbund. The source of the vapor penetration is along the jacket/ trouser interface of the ground crew CDE.