Early initiated decontamination is demonstrated to be crucial to avoid systemic effects of highly toxic and low volatile agents exposed on the skin. Skin decontamination can be performed by simple procedures, such as washing with soap and water, or by using advanced decontamination products containing absorption and agent degradation properties. Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) has demonstrated high efficacy to remove nerve agents from the skin. However, contrary to the current operational recommendations, experimental studies have shown that prolonged skin contact time of RSDL is important for efficient decontamination of VX. In the present study, several RSDL-protocols were evaluated for the efficacy to remove neat VX from human skin in vitro. The decontamination efficacies of the RSDL-procedures were compared with the efficacy of the simple procedure of washing off the skin with soapy water. The RSDL-protocols containing repeated swabbing with the sponge and a 10 min skin contact time of RSDL-lotion demonstrated the greatest decontamination efficacy of all procedures evaluated. Repeating the protocol 2 h after the initial decontamination step resulted in a transient increased skin penetration of remaining intact agent on skin and was followed by rapidly declined agent penetration rate. Decontamination performed with soapy water significantly increased agent amounts penetrating skin, most likely caused by skin hydration and agent dilution. In conclusion, a slightly extended procedure for RSDL-decontamination showed improved efficacy and is therefore recommended for removal of nerve agents from the skin. In addition, it is of highest importance that skin decontamination of nerve agents should consist of procedures using low water content.

中文翻译：

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改善了神经毒剂VX的皮肤净化功效。

事实证明，尽早开始净化处理对于避免暴露在皮肤上的高毒性和低挥发性试剂的全身作用至关重要。可以通过简单的程序（例如，用肥皂和水清洗）或使用具有吸收和降解作用的高级去污产品对皮肤进行去污。反应性皮肤去污乳液（RSDL）已证明具有从皮肤中去除神经毒剂的高效功效。但是，与当前的操作建议相反，实验研究表明，延长RSDL的皮肤接触时间对于有效净化VX很重要。在本研究中，评估了几种RSDL协议在体外从人皮肤上去除纯净VX的功效。将RSDL程序的去污效果与用肥皂水清洗皮肤的简单程序的效果进行了比较。RSDL协议包含用海绵反复擦拭和RSDL乳液接触皮肤10分钟的时间，这表明所评估的所有程序均具有最大的去污功效。在初始净化步骤后2小时重复操作，会导致残留的完整试剂在皮肤上的渗透率短暂增加，随后试剂渗透率迅速下降。用肥皂水进行的消毒大大增加了渗透皮肤的药剂量，这很可能是由于皮肤水合作用和药剂稀释引起的。结论，略微延长RSDL去污程序显示出改善的功效，因此建议从皮肤中去除神经毒剂。另外，最重要的是，对神经毒剂的皮肤净化应包括使用低水含量的程序。