Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

Chemical Defense EquipmentPsychological FactorsThe threat of CBRN warfare creates unique fearsin personnel, and protective gear isolates them fromthe environment. Individuals encapsulated in MOPPensembles are subject to both physiological and psychologicalstresses. MOPP 4 reduces the ability to seeand hear clearly and makes it more difficult to recognizeand communicate with others, which creates orincreases feelings of isolation and confusion. Chemicalfilters in the protective mask make breathing moredifficult, which can create feelings of claustrophobiaor panic in many personnel. 14 In some cases, these personnelhyperventilate, causing the eyelenses to fog up,which further inhibits the ability to carry out tasks. Asa result, many service members either break the sealand lift the protective mask off the face or remove itcompletely. 1 Such problems can be corrected by trainingpersonnel to relax and avoid taking deep or rapidbreaths while wearing the protective mask.Personnel wearing MOPP 4 will take about onehalftimes longer to perform most tasks, 14 which cancause frustration and stress. The adverse impact ofpsychological stress during MOPP operations can beminimized by the experience and confidence providedby realistic training in MOPP gear with the protectivemask. Training in MOPP gear should allow for gradualincrease of wear time and should focus on tasks personnelare expected to accomplish while encapsulatedin MOPP ensemble in CBRN environments.DETECTION AND WARNINGDetection of a chemical attack, with subsequentwarning of affected forces downwind, can allow adoptionof an effective protective posture and continuationof military operations with minimal degradation. Thissection will discuss instruments that have the greatestimpact on military medical operations; special purposeitems are not discussed. 1 The Army has a wide rangeof chemical agent detectors and alarms available toprotect the force. These detectors are divided into twogroups: point detectors and standoff detectors.Point DetectorsPoint detectors sample the immediate area to determinethe presence of chemical agents. The sampleis most often taken from the atmosphere; however,specialized detection kits can be used to sample soil orwater. In addition to monitoring the atmosphere, pointdetectors provide monitoring after an attack, identifythe contaminated area, monitor collective protectionareas, monitor effectiveness of decontamination, andidentify chemical contamination during reconnaissanceefforts. 1,14,24change color with many interferents, such as sodiumhydroxide and petroleum products; thus, it is not areliable way to check the completeness of personnel decontamination,which should always be verified withanother means. The M8 paper has a 10-year shelf lifefrom the manufacture date, which is stamped on theback cover of the booklet (the integrity and the qualityof the paper is compromised past the shelf life). 14,24M9 Chemical Agent Detection PaperM9 chemical agent detection paper is a portable,single roll of paper that comes with a Mylar (DuPont,Wilmington, Del) adhesive-backed and -coated tape.M8 Chemical Agent Detection PaperM8 chemical agent detection paper detects andidentifies liquid chemical agents. The tan paper comesin a booklet containing 25 perforated sheets (2 × 3 in),which are heat sealed in a polyethylene envelope.Three sensitive indicator dyes are suspended in thepaper matrix. The paper is blotted on a suspectedliquid agent and observed for a color change, whichwill occur within 30 seconds: VX turns the paper darkgreen, the G series agents turn the paper yellow, andblister agent turns it red (Figure 17-18). M8 paper willFig. 17-18. The M8 chemical agent detection paper detectsand identifies GA (G series nerve agent) simulant from thevial by changing color in less than 30 seconds.Photograph: Courtesy of the Chemical Casualty Care Division,US Army Medical Research Institute of ChemicalDefense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.575