Development of Monitors for Assessing Exposure of Military Personnel to Toxic Chemicals

摘要

U.S. military personnel may be exposed to a wide variety of potentially toxic airborne and waterborne chemicals. Such situations include troop deployment in third world countries with major pollution problems, prolonged exposure in enclosed areas such as submarines, training exercises involving chemicals, and in combat conditions. Unfortunately, existing chemical monitoring technology is limited or inadequate for determining the broad range of chemicals potentially present in areas of concern. Scientists at the USGS's Columbia Environmental Research Center have developed and patented a semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) for integrative monitoring of hydrophobic chemicals. The objective of this research project was to develop a prototype Area Monitor based on the concept of integrative sampling and to expand this approach to monitor more hydrophilic chemicals, toxic metals, and vapor phase neutral metals. Application of bioindicator tests designed to define exposure to complex chemical mixtures having various modes of action, provides a unique approach for determining not only the presence of a wide array of toxic chemicals, but also their potential toxicological significance. During the course of this research project, integrative samplers for airborne vapor phase metals, specifically mercury, waterborne ionic metals, i.e., Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and waterborne hydrophilic organic chemicals were designed and developed. Also, the incorporation of bioindicator tests to define the toxicological relevance of exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals was validated. In combination with the SPMD technology, the research described in this report has resulted in the development and proof-of-concept validation of technology forming the basis of Area Monitors for use by the DoD in situations requiring exposure assessment. Further refinements of the technology, including miniaturization and remote sensing approaches are possible.