The need to enhance personal protection against chemical warfare agents (CWAs) has become urgent in light of recent domestic and global events. Existing personal decontaminants provide only pre- or post- exposure protection -- but not both. TIAX has developed a Neutralizing Skin Protectant (NSP) that will dissolve a CWA challenge and neutralize a CWA challenge before it reaches the skin surface, providing both pre- and post-exposure protection. TIAX's NSP is safe and nonirritating to skin, non-greasy, physically/ chemically stable, and cost-effective.
NSP will be used in conjunction with Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear to provide additional protection at closures, interfaces, and sensitive areas. Used in conjunction with MOPP gear, the NSP product will provide the following benefits:
- Pre-exposure CWA protection and post-exposure CWA decontamination in one product
- Less weight to carry (one product, instead of two)
- Non-occlusive formulation improves comfort on skin; minimizes CWA penetration due to excessive sweating
- Easier to remove than fluoropolymer-containing barrier creams
- No smoking-related “polymer fume fever” hazard, as there is with fluoropolymer-containing barrier creams
- Decon functionality does not involve fine particulates that can damage sensitive equipment
- Potential to provide protection against many “high hazard” TICs and TIMs