Swatch Test Results of Commercial Chemical Protective Boots to Challenge by Chemical Warfare Agents: Summary Report

• NCJ Number: 192251
• Author(s): Robert S. Lindsay
• Date Published: February 2001
• Length: 49 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM)
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research Paper
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: See NCJ-192252 for Executive Summary

Annotation

This study evaluated the ability of nine commercially available boot designs to determine their ability to protect people in a chemical warfare agent environment.

Abstract

This research examined the ability of commonly used chemical protective boots to resist vapor permeation from liquid contamination by chemical agents Sarin (GB) and mustard (HD). The information is designed for Federal, State, and local emergency HAZMAT personnel to aid in their evaluation of work guidelines concerning specific chemical boots currently in inventory and to help guide future procurement of appropriate chemical protective boots. Swatches of material from each boot design were tested to determine chemical warfare (CW) resistance. From this data, the estimated time it would take to permeate the boot with sufficient agents to cause possible physiological effects in an individual wearing the boot. The tests were outlined in the paper and the calculated breakthrough times for each of the boots were presented. The breakthrough times, in minutes, of the following boots for HD and GB, are as follows: 1) Dunlop Hevea, HD (654 min) and GB (805 min); 2) Tingley 82330, HD ( >1440 min) and GB (>1440 min); 3) LaCrosse Commander 89612, HD (1194 min) and GB ( >1440 min); 4) LaCrosse Monarch 87568, HD (998 min) and GB (> 1440 min); 5) Bata Polymax 84076, HD (785 min) and GB (>1440 min); 6) Bata Hazmax 87012, HD (1382 min) and GB (>1440 min); 7) Bata Overbooties 97591, HD (253 min) and GB (99 min); 8) Servus Hazmat HZT 75107, HD (443 min) and GB (>1440); and, 9) LaCrosse Chemtrex 24228, HD (268 min) and GB (>1440 min). Six appendices containing information on the boots chosen for the tests, test procedures, digital photographs of the boots tested, permeation results tables, permeation results plots, and overall test results.