Defense Technology has released a grenade they call,
"Flameless Tri-Chamber OC." This is the first time I have seen OC micro pulverized (1.9 microns) enough to attach the particles to smoke droplets that carry the OC downwind. It is a pyrotechnic method of delivery. It is flameless because of the tri-chamber configuration similar to their other tri-chamber grenades. We tested this grenade on a carpet that we soaked in gasoline and it did not start a fire.
We walked 37 law enforcement officers through a smoke cloud produced by the grenade. Our observations were that it did not effect the eyes like OC aerosol typically does. We saw no closed eyes and only a couple tearing eyes. Most officers reported that they had a burning sensation in their lungs but less than they typically have with CS.
DefenseTechnologies did a medical study to look at the effects of OC smoke on humans. They should be commended for doing the study. They used 10 Rats and extrapolated the results to humans. Their conclusions were:
"The test parameters used for this study generated worst-case exposure conditions that are far above the human exposure levels that would be expected during normal operational deployment of the product.... Based on the study findings using extreme exposure conditions, pyrotechnically generated smoke containing OC appears to have very low acute inhalation toxicity."
Read the entire medical report here.
