End of Life Service Indicator

描述（由申请人提供）：第一响应者和化学工人必须能够在存在化学危害的环境中工作。工业工人需要保护，以免在工作场所使用危险化学品，而危险品处理人员在处理化学品泄漏、甲基苯丙胺实验室和其他清理作业时需要呼吸保护。在接触工业或环境事故产生的化学蒸汽/气体时，呼吸保护尤为重要。现代防毒面具有一个不透气的聚合物面罩，上面装有窗户和一个含有活性炭的滤芯，可以过滤吸入的空气。大多数现代口罩都有一个止回阀，这样呼出的空气就可以从阀门流出，而不是通过活性炭滤芯回流。由于空气通过滤筒中的活性炭吸入，有害污染物物理吸附在碳表面，并且由于活性炭的表面积可以达到1000m2 /g或更大，因此单个滤筒可以去除相当大量的污染物。迄今为止，还没有开发出一种简单的技术，使用户能够确定呼吸器滤芯的化学防护能力是否因储存期间的暴露或使用时的气体饱和而降低。我们所需要的是一个简单的装置，它可以指示口罩的过期时间。该装置将是在制造过程中集成到口罩盒中的一个永久性部件。由于该装置在制造过程中被整合到呼吸器盒中，因此指示装置可以通过NIOSH认证，从而由第一响应者使用。TDA建议开发一种使用寿命结束指示器（ESLI），可将其纳入第一反应者化学危害呼吸器筒中。公共卫生相关性：目前还没有开发出一种简单的技术，使第一反应人员能够确定呼吸器药筒的化学防护能力是否因储存期间的暴露或使用时的气体饱和而降低。我们所需要的是一个简单的装置，它可以指示口罩的过期时间。该装置将是在制造过程中集成到口罩盒中的一个永久性部件。由于该装置在制造过程中被整合到呼吸器盒中，因此指示装置可以通过NIOSH认证，从而由第一响应者使用。TDA建议开发一种使用寿命结束指示器（ESLI），可将其纳入第一反应者化学危害呼吸器筒中。为了在拟议的第一阶段项目中实现这些目标，TDA建议建立一个测试设备，使我们能够生成精确且可验证浓度的激发剂，用于测试指示剂，在多孔支撑材料上制备指示剂测试条，使用不同浓度、温度和相对湿度的各种激发蒸汽测试指示剂的灵敏度，与我们的制造合作伙伴合作，构建和测试原型设备。并进行工程分析，以估计制造商业单位的成本。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): First responders and chemical workers must be able to function in environments where chemical hazards are present. Industrial workers need protection against hazardous chemicals used in the workplace and HAZMAT personnel need respiratory protection when dealing with chemical spills, methamphetamine labs, and other cleanup operations. In the event of exposure to chemical vapors/gases from an industrial or environmental accident, respiratory protection is particularly important. The modern gas mask has a vapor tight polymer face piece that is equipped with windows and a cartridge containing activated carbon that filters the inhaled air. Most modern masks have a check valve so that exhaled air passes out of the valve rather than back through the activated carbon cartridge. As air is inhaled through the activated carbon in the cartridge, hazardous contaminants physically adsorb on the carbon surface, and because activated carbons can have surface areas of 1000 m2/g or greater, reasonably large amounts of contaminants can be removed with a single cartridge. To date, no simple technology has been developed that allows the user to determine if the chemical protection capability of a respirator cartridge has been reduced by exposure during storage, or by saturation with gases while it is in use. What is needed is a simple device that indicates the expiration of a respirator cartridge. This device would be a permanent part of a respirator cartridge integrated into the cartridge during manufacturing. Since the device is incorporated into the respirator cartridge during manufacture, the indicating device can be certified by NIOSH, and thus used by first responders. TDA proposes to develop an end of service life indicator (ESLI) that can be incorporated into a first responder chemical hazard respirator cartridge. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There is no simple technology has been developed that allows the first responder to determine if the chemical protection capability of a respirator cartridge has been reduced by exposure during storage, or by saturation with gases while it is in use. What is needed is a simple device that indicates the expiration of a respirator cartridge. This device would be a permanent part of a respirator cartridge integrated into the cartridge during manufacturing. Since the device is incorporated into the respirator cartridge during manufacture, the indicating device can be certified by NIOSH, and thus used by first responders. TDA proposes to develop an end of service life indicator (ESLI) that can be incorporated into a first responder chemical hazard respirator cartridge. In order to accomplish these goals in the proposed Phase I project, TDA proposes to build a test apparatus that permits us to generate precise and verifiable concentrations of challenge agents for testing the indicator, prepare indicator test strips on a porous support material, test indicator sensitivity using a variety of challenge vapors at different concentrations, temperatures, and relative humidities, in collaboration with our manufacturing partner, construct and test a prototype device, and perform an engineering analysis to estimate the costs of manufacturing commercial units.