Toxic Industrial Chemical Tests of Resistance to Permeation by Protective Suits

摘要

A Natick program to select and test protective materials for soldiers and first responders who face a threat from chemical accidents or terrorist attacks was applied under Congressional legislation of 1996 to assist the state and local first responder community in preparing for a potential chemical or biological attack. Commercial ensembles of three degrees of protection were selected for investigation of chemical resistance afforded by suits currently in use: level A suits that require cooling, lightweight moisture permeable film suits in development, and air-permeable suits containing activated carbon. Toxic industrial chemicals were examined in controlled U.S. Army and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) protocols.