Methodology Report for Phosgene Model (CGModel)

Abstract : Phosgene (NATO designation CG) was used as a chemical weapon in WW I. When inhaled it acts on lung tissues (and eyes) by hydrolysis and acylation reactions, causing irritation and damaging of pulmonary tissue membranes leading to respiratory failure and eventually cardiac failure and death, at high enough exposures. Given a vapor exposure, CGModel calculates four time values related to injury progression. Using a time dependent severity vector that quantifies the physiological effects of the exposure, the model then associates severity vectors with phosgene exposure and then maps each severity vector to a performance value. The performance function can then calculate the time to recovery and return to duty, or else time to death as the two outcome probabilities.