Removal of soman from injured skin by haemostatic materials

Dalton, Christopher Hugh (2013). Removal of soman from injured skin by haemostatic materials. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The use of haemostatic materials that could be used to mitigate against the effects of the chemical warfare agent soman (GD) on contaminated personnel that may also present with wounds were investigated. To support the in vitro diffusion cell component of this work, the penetration rate of \(^1\)\(^4\)C-GD into different receptor fluids was evaluated to enable determination of the most appropriate receptor fluid to use as a sink for GD. Of the receptor media evaluated only 50% aqueous ethanol was able to maintain sink conditions. A number of haemostatic materials were shown to retain haemostatic efficacy in the presence of blood contaminated with GD, and were also shown to irreversibly sequester GD. The lead candidate, WoundStat™, was shown to be as effective a decontaminant as the current in service countermeasure fullers’ earth. Complementary in vivo studies using damaged ear skin in a terminally anaesthetised large white pig model showed that whilst use of WoundStat™ was not 100% effective in the prevention of mortality after GD poisoning, it did increase the therapeutic window where further nerve agent-specific medical countermeasures could be employed. Perhaps most importantly, application of WoundStat™ onto GD contaminated damaged skin did not increase the toxicity of GD.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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