MOVEMENT OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENT SIMULANTS THROUGH POROUS-MEDIA

A measurement protocol is documented and data presented to characteriz e the permeation of chemical warfare agent simulants through the porou s construction materials brick, cinder block, gypsum wall board, and w ood. These data will be used to develop guidelines for access ('reentr y') to potentially contaminated properties if nerve or vesicant agents are released during any phase of the US Department of the Army's Chem ical Stockpile Disposal Program. A novel permeation cell design allowe d sampling of air volumes adjacent to the spiked face, breakthrough, f ace and lateral face of each test medium at two temperatures. Simulant movement through wood is nearly always in the direction of the wood g rain. Two-dimensional breakthrough was observed in brick and gypsum wa ll board. The sulfur mustard simulant broke through all test media in less than 60 min; nerve agent simulant breakthrough required several h ours. Surface decontamination of wood with high test hypochlorite is 9 5% effective.