Development of a Contact Permeation Test Fixture and Method
Abstract
A new fixture and method were developed to quantify the cumulative permeated mass of contaminants through personal protective equipment (PPE). Most PPE testing consists of liquid contamination of a swatch and detection by vapor collection. However, vapor analysis may not be the best detection method for all contaminants. Some contaminants, including VX, are contact hazards due to their low volatility. This property, coupled with the fact that PPE can be in direct contact with the skin, indicates the need for a quantitative contact test method. Comparison tests were conducted with VX on a standardized latex material in vapor and contact configurations using analytical permeation methods and toxicological percutaneous testing. For both the permeation and the toxicological configurations, approximately 20-fold more contaminant was measured using contact rather than vapor testing. This indicates that vapor testing could underestimate the amount of agent present in a contact scenario. As new PPE articles are developed, it is important to test each material in a manner consistent with its expected use to better understand the protection performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA583691
Entities
People
- Terrence G. D'onofrio
Organizations
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center