EXPOSURES TO GAS-PHASE NERVE AGENTS

VISUAL IMPARIMENT (MIOSIS) IS THE FIRST SYMPTON OF EXPOSURE TO GASPHASE NERVE AGENTS. NERVE AGENT EXPOSURE TO THE EYE CAN BE USED AS AN INDICATOR OF EXPOSURE TO THE ENTIRE BODY. THE ABILITY TO PREDICT THE EFFECTS ON THE EYE OF A NERVE AGENT EXPOSURE WOULD BE USEFUL IN PREDICTING WHETHER THAT EXPOSURE IS SAFE FOR THE ENTIRE BODY. WE PROPOSE TO ESTABLISH THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A COMPARTMENTAL MASS BALANCE MODEL OF THE EYE TO PREDICT EFFECTS EXPOSURES TO GAS-PHASE NERVE AGENTS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PRELIMINARY MODEL WHICH MANY OF THE CHARACTERISTIC BEHAVIORS OBSERVED EXPERIMENTALLY. WE PROPOSE TO EXTEND THIS MODEL SO THAT EFFECTS OF REALISTIC EXPOSURE SITUATIONS MAY BE PREDICTED. FINALLY, WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE AGENT MASS TRANSPORT FROM THE GAS TO THE SURFACE OF THE EYE TO ESTIMATE CHARACTERISTIC MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS APPLICABLE TO TYPICAL EXPOSURE SITUATIONS.