National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection - CBRN Solutions Testing

The National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection (SUJCHBO, vvi.) is an ISO-certified public research institution with more than 50 years of experience in safety and security related issues at national and international level (PASR - IMPACT, FP7 - CBRNE map, TWOBIAS, PRACTICE and EDA projects). Its main activity is research, development, education and training in the field of protection against CBRN agents and materials, including physiological testing under extreme conditions.

CBRN testing for the defence industry

Three specialised departments with accredited laboratories and an explosive testing facility constitute the core part of the institute. The SUJCHBO is a holder of all relevant licences and permits, making it possible to handle otherwise prohibited chemical and biological agents or toxins and to test their impact on various appliances and systems.

The institute is capable of providing, inter alia:

• Consultancy for legal and natural entities
• Development and execution of accredited and non-accredited tests
• Medical examination and monitoring of persons under extreme conditions
• Behavioural studies of tested systems and validation of various models

It can be presumed that all future military or security-related products will be competitive only if they satisfy the customers' comprehensive needs. The requirements for their functionality, performance, reliability and other indicators in CBRN environments, in different climatic conditions, etc., will always be an integral part of technical specifications.

The institute supports Czech and foreign companies (e.g. TNO, Bruker Daltonics, MSA Auer, Kärcher, Dycor, etc.), and offers the services and/or facilities described below to the relevant producers and/or end-users.

Laboratory testing of CBRN agents and materials

The institute's laboratories (toxicological laboratory, BSL3 and BSL4 laboratories) enable the evaluations of:

• Resistance of personal protective equipment to toxic agents (CWA and TIC), gas-resistance and effectiveness of various technical means in a CBRN environment
• Sorption capacity and resistance time of protective filters and materials
• Sensitivity and selectivity of detection equipment

Monitoring of persons under extreme conditions

Monitoring of persons under extreme physical, psychological and climatic loads can be provided in an accredited laboratory modelling the conditions in different climatic zones and/or in various working environments. The laboratory can also be utilised to facilitate development of protective equipment and for computerised evaluation of microclimatic conditions. The following parameters can be pre-set in the chamber of 33m³ volume:

• Temperature ranging from -35°C to +70°C
• Relative humidity 0-100%
• Wind speed 0-5.5m/s

Radiating heat can be simulated additionally.

Testing and examination is focused on:

• Medical selection of the individuals capable to perform strenuous work under extreme climatic conditions and/or their adaptation to the pre-set parameters
• Monitoring of persons wearing personal protective equipment and their behaviour under long-term work load
• Evaluation of personal protective equipment and other devices.

Large-scale chemical and biological agent effects testing facility

The most important experimental building is a large-scale airtight multi-purpose testing facility for the research of overall behaviour of selected chemical and biological agents and the evaluation of their effects on materials and complex systems. Verification of the theoretical and laboratory results in large-scale conditions is one of the research priorities not only of the institute but many other organisations in the Czech Republic and in the EU.

The testing room of more than 4,500m³ volume is currently operational for non-pathogenic biological agents and surrogates. After planned enhancement it should correspond to BSL 3 facilities and should be able to perform experiments with any of the scheduled chemicals according to the Chemical Weapons Convention.