DoD adopts RSDL skin decon kit

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DoD adopts RSDL skin decon kit

http://bugsngasgal.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/dod-adopts-rsdl-skin-

decon-kit/

DoD's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical Biological Defense

(JPEO-CBD) approved RSDL skin decontamination lotion for initial

procurements. RSDL has been around for years and is already in use

by several other countries.

It was tested at USAMRICD against VX, VR, GD, HD (distilled sulfur

mustard), and by Battelle against VX and HD. The DoD requirement is

for it to decontaminate up to 1300 cm2 of skin contaminated with HD,

GD (soman), VX, and T-2 mycotoxins, to a level superior to that

achieved with the M291 SDK. The tests look pretty good compared to

the M291.

The military will field RSDL as the Joint Service Personal

Decontamination System (JSPDS). It comes as a lotion-soaked sponge

in a sealed pouch. According to E-Z-EM, the company that makes it,

RSDL is a patented, broad spectrum, liquid chemical warfare (CW)

agent decontaminant that removes and neutralizes chemical agents.

The company says the product decontaminates GA (tabun), GD (soman),

GF (cyclohexyl sarin), VX, HD, and T-2.

RSDL neutralizes traditional CW agents by a combination of physical

removal and nucleophilic breakdown which renders the original toxic

substance non-toxic; no toxic material remains to off-gas under

protective respirators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The MSDS says it is a mixture of Dekon 139 (which appears to be some

proprietary formulation) and 2,3 butanedione monoxime (DAM) in a

polyethyleneglycol monomethyl ether and water solvent system.

According to the rather dated Strategies to Protect the Health of

Deployed U.S. Forces: Force Protection and Decontamination, RSDL " is

believed to contain phenoxides, oximates, a solvent (such as

tetraglyme), and a thickener… " There also seems to be some

speculation about it being effective against biological agents, but

no DoD testing has been done except that noted above.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 20th, 2007 at 5:30 pm and is

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