Diphoterine® is an hypertonic, polyvalent, amphoteric, chelating compound with 6 active sites developed in France as an skin/eye chemical splash water-based decontamination solution. In vitro and in vivo, it decontaminates approximately 600 chemicals/chemical groups, including acids, alkalis, oxidizing and reducing agents, irritants, lacrimators, solvents, alkylating agents such as sulfur mustard, and radionuclides (238-U, 137-Cs, 90-Sr/Y, 60-Co); thus, the identity of the chemical involved in an exposure need not be known. Its chemical bond energy for such agents is greater than that of tissue receptors. Its hypertonicity impedes chemical tissue penetration and may remove some amount of skin/cornea-absorbed toxicants not already bound to tissue receptors. Chemical reactions with this decontamination solution are not exothermic (do not release significant amounts of heat). Its decontamination efficacy is greater than that of water, and for use against chemical warfare agents, it is at least as efficacious as dilute bleach solutions but is non-toxic and has no irritant potential. In experimental animals, this decontamination solution and its acid/alkali decontamination residues are not irritating to the eyes or skin. It is essentially nontoxic (LD50 [Rat] > 2000 mg/kg, oral /dermal routes). In human volunteers, it was not irritating in normal eyes. In European workplaces, decontamination of skin/eye acid, base, and other chemical splashes with this solution was associated with decreases in long-term sequelae, lost work time, and need for additional burn treatment or burn center/ophthalmology referral as compared with water lavage. It washes harmful chemicals off exposed tissues as well as neutralizing these substances. This decontamination solution cannot prevent systemic toxicity from chemicals that have already been absorbed through the skin and it is not a treatment for chemical burns. It can prevent or decrease the severity of skin/eye burns following nearly all chemical splashes and results in nearly immediate pain relief.

This decontamination solution can be used for mass chemical casualty decontamination in either civilian or military settings with the DRP-200 system which recycles the solution, requires little water and power, results in decontamination residues that are non-toxic and not harmful to the environment, and processes 200 persons per hour.

Hexafluorine® is a derivative of Diphoterine® specifically designed for decontaminating hydrofluoric acid (HF) skin/eye splashes. It has the same safety profile as the parent compound. In vitro, it returns the pH and pF (negative logarithm of the fluoride ion concentration) to levels that are not harmful, whereas either water or 10% calcium gluconate do not. In animal studies with 70% HF, this solution completely prevented burns, while water had no effect and water followed by calcium gluconate gel inunction only delayed the onset and decreased the burn severity. In 28 industrial HF (<20% to 70%) or pickling acid (6% HF/15% HNO3) exposures, decontamination with this solution prevented or decreased the severity of burns and resulted in nearly immediate pain relief.

These decontamination solutions represent significant advances over simple water decontamination for nearly all chemical skin/eye splashes. Supporting references and short descriptions of experiments and studies will be presented in the poster.