NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The author responsible for the report was chosen for his special competencies.
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
This is a report of a study supported by Contract DASW01-97-C-0078 between the Department of Defense and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
STRATEGIES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF DEPLOYED U.S. FORCES
Technology and Methods for Detection and Tracking of Exposures to a Subset of Harmful Agents
Principal Investigator
THOMAS E. MCKONE,
University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
Advisory Panel
WYETT H. COLCLASURE II,
Environmental Technologies Group, Inc., Jarrettsville, Maryland
MARGARET L. JENKINS,
California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, California
TREVOR O. JONES,
BIOMEC, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio
MICHAEL LEBOWITZ,
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson
KEITH MCDONALD,
Sat Tech Systems, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia
ROBERT SHOPE,
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
ROBERT SPEAR,
University of California, Berkeley
PAUL SWITZER,
Stanford University, Stanford, California
DETLOF VON WINTERFELDT,
Decision Insights, Inc., Irvine, California
CHARLES J. WESCHLER,
Telcordia Technologies, Red Bank, New Jersey
Board on Army Science and Technology Liaisons
CLARENCE G. THORNTON,
Army Research Laboratories (retired), Colts Neck, New Jersey
JOSEPH J. VERVIER,
ENSCO, Inc., Melbourne, Florida
Department of Defense Liaisons
MICHAEL KILPATRICK,
Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, Falls Church, Virginia
FRANCIS O'DONNELL,
Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, Falls Church, Virginia
Staff
BRUCE A. BRAUN, Director,
Division of Military Science and Technology
JAMES REISA, Director,
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
BEVERLY M. HUEY, Study Director
RAY WASSEL, Senior Program Officer
EDWARD J. DOWNING, Senior Program Officer
LAURA M. DUFFY, Research Associate
NORMAN M. HALLER, Technical Consultant
PAMELA A. LEWIS, Senior Project Assistant
ANDRE MORROW, Senior Project Assistant
BOARD ON ARMY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
WILLIAM H. FORSTER, chair,
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland
THOMAS L. MCNAUGHER, vice chair,
RAND Corporation, Washington, D.C.
ELIOT A. COHEN,
School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.
RICHARD A. CONWAY,
Union Carbide Corporation (retired), Charleston, West Virginia
GILBERT F. DECKER,
Walt Disney Imagineering, Glendale, California
PATRICK F. FLYNN,
Cummins Engine Company, Inc., Columbus, Indiana
EDWARD J. HAUG,
NADS and Simulation Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
ROBERT J. HEASTON,
Guidance and Control Information Analysis Center (retired), Naperville, Illinois
ELVIN R. HEIBERG, III,
Heiberg Associates, Inc., Mason Neck, Virginia
GERALD J. IAFRATE,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
DONALD R. KEITH,
Cypress International, Alexandria, Virginia
KATHRYN V. LOGAN,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
JOHN E. MILLER,
Oracle Corporation, Reston, Virginia
JOHN H. MOXLEY,
Korn/Ferry International, Los Angeles, California
STEWART D. PERSONICK,
Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
MILLARD F. ROSE,
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
GEORGE T. SINGLEY, III,
Hicks and Associates, Inc., McLean, Virginia
CLARENCE G. THORNTON,
Army Research Laboratories (retired), Colts Neck, New Jersey
JOHN D. VENABLES,
Venables and Associates, Towson, Maryland
JOSEPH J. VERVIER,
ENSCO, Inc., Melbourne, Florida
ALLEN C. WARD,
Ward Synthesis, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan
Staff
BRUCE A. BRAUN, Director
MICHAEL A. CLARKE, Associate Director
MARGO L. FRANCESCO, Staff Associate
CHRIS JONES, Financial Associate
DEANNA SPARGER, Senior Project Assistant
COMMISSION ON ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS
W. DALE COMPTON, chair,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
ELEANOR BAUM,
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New York, New York
RUTH M. DAVIS,
Pymatuning Group, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia
HENRY J. HATCH,
American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, Virginia
STUART L. KNOOP,
Oudens and Knoop, Architects, PC, Chevy Chase, Maryland
NANCY G. LEVESON,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
CORA B. MARRETT,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
ROBERT M. NEREM,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
LAWRENCE T. PAPAY,
SAIC, San Diego, California
BRADFORD W. PARKINSON,
Stanford University, Stanford, California
JERRY SCHUBEL,
New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts
BARRY M. TROST,
Stanford University, Stanford, California
JAMES C. WILLIAMS,
GE Aircraft Engines, Cincinnati, Ohio
RONALD W. YATES,
U.S. Air Force (retired), Monument, Colorado
Staff
DOUGLAS BAUER, Executive Director
DENNIS CHAMOT, Deputy Executive Director
CAROL R. ARENBERG, Technical Editor
BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
GORDON ORIANS, chair,
University of Washington, Seattle
DONALD MATTISON, vice chair,
March of Dimes, White Plains, New York
DAVID ALLEN,
University of Texas, Austin
INGRID C. BURKE,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
WILLIAM L. CHAMEIDES,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
JOHN DOULL,
University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City
CHRISTOPHER B. FIELD,
Carnegie Institute of Washington, Stanford, California
JOHN GERHART,
University of California, Berkeley
J. PAUL GILMAN,
Celera Genomics, Rockville, Maryland
BRUCE D. HAMMOCK,
University of California, Davis
MARK HARWELL,
University of Miami, Miami, Florida
ROGENE HENDERSON,
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico
CAROL HENRY,
Chemical Manufacturers Association, Arlington, Virginia
BARBARA HULKA,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
JAMES F. KITCHELL,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
DANIEL KREWSKI,
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
JAMES A. MACMAHON,
Utah State University, Logan
MARIO J. MOLINA,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
CHARLES O'MELIA,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
WILLEM F. PASSCHIER,
Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague
KIRK SMITH,
University of California, Berkeley
MARGARET STRAND,
Oppenheimer, Wolff, Donnelly & Bayh, LLP, Washington, D.C.
TERRY F. YOSIE,
Chemical Manufacturers Association, Arlington, Virginia
Staff
JAMES J. REISA, Executive Director
DAVID J. POLICANSKY, Associate Director
COMMISSION ON LIFE SCIENCES
MICHAEL T. CLEGG, chair,
University of California, Riverside
PAUL BERG, vice chair,
Stanford University, Stanford, California
FREDERICK R. ANDERSON,
Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft, Washington, D.C.
JOHN C. BAILAR, III,
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
JOANNA BURGER,
Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
SHARON L. DUNWOODY,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
DAVID EISENBERG,
University of California, Los Angeles
JOHN EMMERSON,
Consultant, Portland, Oregon
NEAL FIRST,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
DAVID J. GALAS,
Chiroscience R&D, Inc., Bothell, Washington
DAVID V. GOEDDEL,
Tularik, Inc., South San Francisco, California
ARTURO GOMEZ-POMPA,
University of California, Riverside
COREY S. GOODMAN,
University of California, Berkeley
HENRY HEIKKINEN,
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley
BARBARA S. HULKA,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
HANS J. KENDE,
Michigan State University, East Lansing
CYNTHIA KENYON,
University of California, San Francisco
MARGARET G. KIDWELL,
University of Arizona, Tucson
BRUCE R. LEVIN,
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
OLGA F. LINARES,
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Miami, Florida
DAVID LIVINGSTON,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
DONALD R. MATTISON,
March of Dimes, White Plains, New York
ELLIOT M. MEYEROWITZ,
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
ROBERT T. PAINE,
University of Washington, Seattle
RONALD R. SEDEROFF,
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
ROBERT R. SOKAL,
State University of New York, Stony Brook
CHARLES F. STEVENS,
Salk Institute, La Jolla, California
SHIRLEY M. TILGHMAN,
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
JOHN L. VANDERBERG,
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas
RAYMOND L. WHITE,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Staff
WARREN R. MUIR, Executive Director
Preface
Since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Gulf War veterans have expressed concerns about health effects that could be associated with their deployment and service during the war. Although similar concerns were raised after other military operations, the Gulf War deployment focused national attention on the potential, but uncertain, relationship between the presence of chemical and biological (CB) agents and other harmful agents in theater and health symptoms reported by military personnel.
A number of studies have addressed the issues of veterans' health and the potential health effects of their service, focused mostly on understanding the current health of veterans, ensuring that they are receiving appropriate evaluation and care, and determining the connections between veterans' current health status and service in, and specific exposures during, the Gulf War. As a result of these studies, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has begun to focus more on better monitoring and control of exposures to multiple harmful agents.
Responding to this need, the DoD Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, through the National Academies, sponsored Strategies to Protect the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces, a study that consists of four two-year studies followed by a consensus study. At the end of the second year (November 1999), the four study groups are issuing reports to DoD and the public on their findings and recommendations. These reports will then be used as a basis for a consensus study by a new National Academies committee in the third year of the project. The consensus committee's report will include the issues raised in the four
two-year studies, as well as overarching issues relevant to its broader charge.
This report, which is one of the four two-year studies, examines the detection and tracking of exposures of deployed personnel to multiple harmful agents. Unlike most National Academies studies, which are conducted by a committee led by a chair, this study was conducted by a principal investigator who was supported by a panel of technical advisors. As principal investigator, I worked with the National Research Council (NRC) staff to identify potential advisors, collect and synthesize data and information from relevant sources, and prepare this report, including its conclusions and recommendations. The members of the technical advisory panel participated in the report development process and the planning and management of workshops, the commissioning of papers, and gathering of information.
During this study, the panel, staff, and I received numerous briefings, visited facilities, consulted with experts, solicitated commissioned papers, attended symposia, and reviewed the open literature. Relevant sources of information used in this study include reports and databases from regulatory and research organizations, as well as information from experts in relevant disciplines. We visited and/or were briefed by individuals from numerous organizations, including the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM), the U.S. Army Chemical School, the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (CHPPM), the U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research (CEHR), and Brooks Air Force Base Crew Systems Division. Five meetings were held: one in March 1998 and one in August 1998, both at the NRC in Washington, D.C.; one at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in September 1998; and two at the Beckman Center in Irvine, California, one in December 1998 and one in April 1999. A workshop was held in January 1999 at the NRC in Washington, D.C. At each meeting, the principal investigator, advisory panel members, and NRC staff attended presentations of technical information related to specific issues, were given briefings by DoD experts, and discussed key issues with invited participants.
The overall purpose of this study (discussed in Chapter 1) was to assess current and potential approaches to detecting and tracking exposures of deployed military personnel to a number of harmful agents. These agents include CB warfare agents, as well as environmental contaminants, such as hazardous air pollutants, soil contaminants, pesticides, particulate matter, fuels, metals, and microbial agents. This assessment also includes an evaluation of the efficacy and extent of implementation
of current military policies, doctrine, and training. Based on this evaluation, opportunities are identified for adjusting or augmenting strategies to improve the protection of military personnel in future deployments.
From the very beginning of this study, it became apparent that characterizing troop exposures requires many different types of information, as well as information collection and storage technologies. The focus of this study is on the overall practice of collecting, managing, and using information on potential exposures to deployed forces. The study addresses not only detection, monitoring, and tracking technologies, but also the framework in which these technologies are applied.
Understanding exposure requires knowing (1) which agents to look for; (2) whether, in what medium, and at what concentrations they were detected; (3) the space and time distribution of agent concentrations; and (4) the space and time distribution of the troops at risk. Tracking individuals and their exposures over time and space requires methods of determining and recording time-specific locations, detectors, and monitors, as well as methods of assessing harmful agent concentrations and environmental exposure pathways, including meteorological conditions over a wide area and, sometimes, groundwater-flow vectors. Detecting, monitoring, and tracking exposures of deployed forces to multiple agents requires making decisions with multiple, often competing, objectives. In response to a critical situation, the requirements for new equipment and monitoring must be defined and ranked according to the value of the information they will provide.
This study was completed with the full and timely cooperation of the DoD. Our requests for information were quickly and thoroughly answered. This made our work easier and our findings more credible. The members of the advisory panel and I were impressed with the level of research and development, training, and application that DoD is currently devoting to the issues addressed in this report. In fact, the rapid pace of change made it necessary for us to update and revise our findings continually, and many of the issues raised in this report may be resolved before the report has been widely circulated.
The report was refined and improved by reviewers both on the National Academies' staff and external to the Academies. Their thoughtful and constructive comments significantly enhanced the quality of the final report.
Finally, I gratefully acknowledge the work and support provided by NRC staff members: Beverly Huey, the NRC study director for this project, whose dedication, intelligence, and enthusiasm were invaluable; Jack
Downing, who spent long hours editing and revising initial drafts; Ray Wassel, who assisted in the development and preparation of this study; Norm Haller, who served as technical consultant; and Laura Duffy, who helped organize the multiple sources of information and was particularly adept at finding information resources on the Worldwide Web.
Thomas E. McKone
Principal Investigator
Strategies to Protect the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces: Technology and Methods for Detection and Tracking of Exposures to a Subset of Harmful Agents
Acknowledgments
We are appreciative of the cooperation we received from the many individuals and organizations who provided us with valuable information and guidance in the course of our work. First, we extend our sincere thanks to the members of the advisory panel who provided assistance and guidance during the information-gathering process, gave thought-provoking presentations in their respective areas of expertise, participated in briefings from various organizations, and provided thoughtful comments on the initial drafts of this report. We are deeply indebted to those individuals who prepared commissioned papers for our use and who gave presentations at the January workshop: COL Mike Brown, on predeployment operational decision making; Roy Reuter, on a situational framework for future deployments; Detlof von Winterfeldt, on dimensions of harm; Don Stedman and Murray Johnston, on the analysis of chemical detection technologies; Linda Stetzenbach, on the analysis of biological detection technologies; Peggy Jenkins, on strategies for tracking people; Michael Lebowitz, on tracking exposures; Keith McDonald, on GPS technologies; and Robert Spear, on GPS applications.
We are grateful for the guidance and support of others at the National Academies, including Joseph Cassells and Suzanne Woolsey, who assisted in the coordination of the four studies as they were being conducted simultaneously; Bruce Braun, who assisted in defining the scope of the study and provided ongoing oversight; and Douglas Bauer an Dennis Chamot, who adeptly dealt with stumbling blocks and provided
thoughtful insights. We also appreciate the work of Andre Morrow and Pamela Lewis, who provided administrative assistance in preparing this document for review and publication, and Carol Arenberg, who edited this document for technical content and clarity. Finally, we are indebted to numerous other National Research Council staff: Mike Clarke, associate division director; Margo Francesco, staff associate; Delphine Glaze, Tracie Holby, and Jacqueline Campbell-Johnson, senior project assistants; and Alvera Wilson, financial associate.
The extensive contributions and thought-provoking comments freely given by so many individuals throughout the course of this study enabled us to complete our task. We would like to acknowledge individuals who provided briefings, prepared commissioned papers, arranged site visits to their organizations, gave presentations at the workshop, supplied invaluable information and reports critical to our charge, answered our searching questions honestly, and assisted us in contacting other sources who could provide additional information and documentation. No doubt the list is incomplete, and we apologize for any oversights (see Appendix F).
This report has also been reviewed by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council's Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the authors and the National Research Council in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The content of the review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report:
Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, University of California San Diego, LaJolla
Robert E. Boyle, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, and Policies, Department of the Army (retired)
John Carrico, SRI International
Robert Clemen, Duke University
Craig H. Curtis, Tracor Aerospace
Christopher C. Green, General Motors Research and Development Center
Orlando J. Illi, SRA International, Inc.
Charles Kolb, Aerodyne Research, Inc.
David Layton, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Sanford S. Leffingwell, HLM Consultants
Harrison Shull, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
George Whitesides, Harvard University
Box, Tables, and Figures
BOX
4-1 |
U.S. Demolition Operations at the Khamisiyah Ammunition Storage Point |
TABLES
2-1 |
Questions To Be Answered by a CB Training Exercise |
|||
3-1 |
Exposure Factors for Selected Biological Warfare Agents |
|||
3-2 |
Characteristics of Selected Biological Toxins |
|||
4-1 |
Potential Exposures of Deployed Personnel |
|||
5-1 |
Information Needs and Timing for Measuring Short-Term Threats and Long-Term Health Risks |
|||
5-2 |
Criteria for Selecting Analytical Methods for Detecting Biological Contaminants |
|||
6-1 |
Time Spent in Major Locations by U.S. Adults over 17 Years of Age |
|||
6-2 |
Expected Evolution of GPS Performance |
|||
B-1 |
Lethal Chemical Warfare Agents |
|||
B-2 |
Debilitating and Incapacitating Chemical Warfare Agents |
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B-3 |
Chemical Categories of Toxic Industrial Chemicals |
|||
C-1 |
Exposure Factors for Selected Biological Warfare Agents |
|||
C-2 |
Characteristics of Selected Biological Toxins |
D-1 |
Estimates of Chemical Agent Exposure Limits |
|||
D-2 |
Sensitivity of Chemical Agent Detection and Monitoring Equipment |
FIGURES
2-1 |
Links between concentration data and time-activity data |
|||
2-2 |
The dimensions-of-harm scale |
|||
3-1 |
Variations in the median lethal air exposure, LCt50, and median incapacitating air exposure, ICt50, for some chemical warfare agents |
|||
3-2 |
The EC50 (the 30-minute average air concentration that would result in the LCT50) compared to the estimated safe dose and the Surgeon General's AELs |
|||
3-3 |
Estimated safe air concentrations for some TICs regulated by the EPA and some chemical agents |
|||
3-4 |
Estimated safe water concentrations for some TICs regulated by EPA |
|||
4-1 |
Links among environmental media, exposure media, and exposure routes |
|||
5-1 |
The three steps for measuring chemical concentrations in an environmental medium (air, water, soil, or food) |
|||
5-2 |
Detection sensitivities for detection equipment compared to the EC50 (the 30-minute average air concentration that would result in the LCT50), DoD's estimated safe concentration, and the AEL |
|||
A-1 |
A taxonomy of information needs |
|||
A-2 |
Influence diagram showing the relationships and effects of uncertainty on exposure information, health effects, and decisions |
|||
A-3 |
Decision tree for using protective clothing |
|||
A-4 |
Analyzed decision tree for using protective clothing |
|||
A-5 |
Decision tree with perfect information |
|||
A-6 |
Analyzed decision tree with perfect information |
|||
A-7 |
Decision tree with imperfect information |
|||
A-8 |
Decision tree with imperfect information (simplified) |
|||
A-9 |
Analyzed decision tree with imperfect information (simplified) |
|||
A-10 |
Decision tree illustrating the value of new information |
Abbreviations and Acronyms
AC
hydrogen cyanide (blood chemical agent)
AEL
allowable exposure limit
ATOFMS
aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry
B(a)P
benzo(a)pyrene
CARC
chemical-agent resistant coatings
CATI
computer-assisted telephone interview system
CB
chemical and/or biological
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CEHR
Center for Environmental Health Research
CG
phosgene (chemical choking agent)
CHPPM
Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
COT
Committee on Toxicology
CX
phosgene oxime (urticant chemical agent)
DEHP
di-2-ethylhexylphthalate
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
DoD
U.S. Department of Defense
EC50
the airborne concentration of a chemical agent sufficient to produce severe effects in 50 percent of those exposed for 30 minutes
ED50
the amount of liquid agent on the skin sufficient to produce severe effects in 50 percent of the exposed population
ELISA
enzyme-linked immunoassay
PA
Environmental Protection Agency
FTIR
Fourier transform infrared
GA
tabun
GAO
General Accounting Office
GB
sarin
GD
soman
GPS
global positioning system
H
Levinstein mustard
HAP
hazardous air pollutant
HCB
hexachlorobenzene
HCH
hexachlorocyclohexane
HD
distilled mustard
HEPA
high-efficiency particulate air filters
HL
mustard-lewisite mixture
HN
nitrogen mustard
HVAC
heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
H2S
hydrogen sulfide
ICt50
the incapacitating effect of a vapor or aerosol agent, which is the product of the concentration and exposure time, sufficient to disable 50 percent of a group of exposed and unprotected personnel at an assumed breathing rate (active or resting)
ID50
the dose in mg or mg/kg of liquid agent expected to incapacitate 50 percent of a group of exposed unprotected personnel
IDLH
immediately dangerous to life and health
IMS
ion mobility spectrometry
IPT
Integrated Product Team
JCS
joint Chiefs of Staff
JSMG
Joint Service Materiel Group
JWARN
Joint Warning and Reporting Network
L
lewisite
LCt50
a measure of vapor or aerosol agent lethality, which is the product of the concentration and exposure time that is lethal to 50 percent of a group of exposed and unprotected personnel at an assumed breathing rate (active or resting)
LD50
a measure of liquid agent lethality; the dose in milligrams (kg) of liquid agent or mg of agent delivered per kilogram (kg) of body weight expected to kill 50 percent of a group of exposed, unprotected personnel
MICAD
multipurpose integrated chemical agent alarm
MIST
Man-in-Simulant Test Program
NBC
nuclear, biological, chemical
NHEXAS
National Human Exposure Assessment Studies
NOx
nitrogen oxides
NRC
National Research Council
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PAH
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PCB
polychlorinated biphenyls
PCD
phosphorous chemiluminescence detector
PCE
Tetrachloroethylene
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
PD, ED, MD
double chlorinated arsines
P-DCB
1, 4-dichlorobenzene
PEP
propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics
PIC
personal information carrier
PIDS
photo-ionization detectors
PIRS
photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy
PVC
polyvinylchloride
R&D
research and development
RfC
chronic reference safe concentration
RfD
chronic reference safe dose
RNA
ribonucleic acid
SAW
surface acoustic wave
SBCCOM
Soldier and Biological Chemical Command
TEAM
total exposure assessment methodology
TIC
toxic industrial chemicals
TIME
total isolated by microenvironment exposure (monitor)
TCDD
2,3,7,8 tetetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin
TCE
trichloroethylene
TWA
time-weighted average
VX
nerve agent
VX2
binary form of nerve agent VX
Vx
volatile nerve agent similar to VX
VOC
volatile organic compound
VOI
value of information