Concept for CBRN Full Facepiece Air Purifying Respirator (APR) Standard

DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION

July 31, 2002

Goal:

Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) Simulant Program for Respirator Materials Resistance Testing

CWA simulant agents for testing of respirators and respirator systems are addressed separately for filtration and barrier materials. For filtration, the technologies governing use of simulants, mass transfer and absorbent capacity, are well understood. DMMP (dimethylmethylphosphate) is a good filtration simulant since it is relatively non-toxic, is easily detectable and has a volatility intermediate between GB and HD. Correlations between DMMP and GB or HD are well understood. Reports will be identified and made available to substantiate the use of DMMP as a filtration simulant for GB and HD. Additionally, Carbon Tetrachloride and Cyclohexane can be used as a GB and HD filtration simulant.

For barrier materials, the governing phenomenon relates to the chemical as well as physical interaction of materials. Because of this interaction, each barrier material needs to be considered individually to determine precise agents to simulant correlations. The ever expanding and evolving list of polymers and elastomers used as materials of construction for respirators makes a one on one correlation a never-ending task.

Download the complete document: Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) Simulant Program for Respirator Materials Resistance Testing, July 31, 2002