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File: 970107_apr96_decls13_0013.txt
Page: 0013
Total Pages: 22

Subject: DUSTY AGENTS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE PROTECTION       

Unit: XVIII CORPS 

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box  ID: BX000047

Folder Title: CHEMICAL INFORMATION                                                                            

Document Number:          5

Folder Seq  #:         35






                           ........ ...



                                                      SECRETEciAssnvD
                                                                 DOD DTR @q"'g         AST@266OZ@55-88
                                                                                        27 January 1988


                flow through the fabric observed in            chemical agents    in the vapor form.
                the wind tunnel experiments was much           A few detectors,   mainly those in the
                higher than had been exnected based            US inventory, are designed to respond
                on classical bench-scale laboratory            to liquid agents (,M-9 paper, for
                                                               instance); some are specifically in-
                experiments.
                                                               tended for use in water samples
                Can this hi@fier than expected air_flow        (M 272). Both of these types, which
                through the overgarment fabric have            take advantage of a direct physical
                anv effect on Drotection azainst               interface between sami3le and detec-
                standard a5zeits? (U)                          tor, could possibly resuoud to a
                                                               toxic 'agent     adsorbed    on to   dust.
                (S) There appears to be little, if             Since most other detectors require
                any, experimental work that @ test-            vapor to reach the detection. element,
                ad liquid or vapor penetration of              their ability to reSDond to an agent-
                the overgarment fabric with linear             impregnated dust will be affected by
                velocities comparable to those ob-             the way in which the air is sampled.
       fi-'--
                tions.  Basic principles of adsor-D-           ter will probably not reac-@ to a
                tion and filter design suggest that            -dusty- agent unless the a@ent can
                a filter bed (in tiis case, the inner          be desorbed from the carrier (e.@...,
                layer  of   the    overgarment     fabric)     by heatin@.) or the dust filter does
                undergoes breakthrough of a challen@e          not   effectively     f il ter  parz:ic' as
                in a   shorter    time when     t.%e flow      smaller than 10 gm.
                velocity throuzh the bed is in-
                creased.    At    higher     flow   rates,     (C) Detectors that rely on wet c@e---
                adsorption kinetics be.-in to     dominate     istry (i.e., detection tubes) as the
                over adsorption C-'aDacitf in shallow          detection means would more likely be
                bed designs. With the flows       observed     able to detect an agent adsorbed onto
                in the wind tunnel exceeding      ecr)ected    a carrier due to the direct contacv
                flows by an order of magnitude, a              of rea@ents with the dusz7
                                                                                               f a@ent.
                significant reduction in suit 14-@'--          Even these require that the agent be
                is possible.    A careful experimental         airborne when sampled rather then
                evaluation    of   fabric     performance      deposited on a surface.        In either
                against li(3uids and vapors as a               case, detectors such as the UK or US
                f
                unction of linear flow through @ie             chemical agent monitor (CAM), which
                fabric should be considered in order           rely on the agent vapor, may not be
dsorbed onto
                windy environment on suit life.                a carrier.     Standoff detectors cur-
                                                               renrly under development will have
                Can   currently     fielded     detectors      to be able to disc--imirlate between
                Tetect azents disseminated in dust             battlefield dust or smoke and dusty
                form (U)?                                      agents in order to be effective. The
                                                               Soviets'   greater reliance on wet-
                (C) Most Soviet and NATO CW agent              chemistry,-based detectors may give
                detectors are designed          to detect      them an advantage in detecting dusty

                                        NOT RELF.ASABLE TO FORF.IGN NATIONALS


                                                              9    L)ki@ IDVL 52.00.,j

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Document 22 f:/Week-15/BX000047/CHEMICAL INFORMATION/dusty agents implications for chemical warfare p:010297184311120
Control Fields 17
File Room = apr96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-15
Box ID = BX000047
Unit = XVIII CORPS
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = CHEMICAL INFORMATION
Folder Seq # = 35
Subject = DUSTY AGENTS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE P
Document Seq # = 5
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 02-JAN-1997