模擬不同任務負荷強度對化學兵人員的生理負荷影響

EFFECTS OF VARYING SIMULATED MISSION LOAD INTENSITIES ON PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF TAIWANESE CHEMICAL TROOPS

防護服與呼吸氣瓶作業之負荷評估亦至為重要。平時擔任疫病消毒與戰時負責核生化偵檢消除工作之化學兵，從COVID 19國家防疫及烏俄戰場化學攻擊防範可知其重要性。化學兵執勤須穿著不透氣之厚重防護服、身揹供氣鋼瓶與配戴呼吸器，並手持偵檢消毒設備，此類特殊情境之作業負荷值得探討。
本研究透過性別、個人防護裝備（Personal Protective Equipment，PPE）、負重有無、行走坡度之不同負荷模擬，探討其對於人員心率、供氣鋼瓶通氣量、微氣候（防護服內溫、濕度）之影響。實驗內容模擬化學兵任務情境，共招募49位軍職人員參與，自變項為性別、PPE（A、B級）、負重有無（手無持物與手持10公斤重物）、行走坡度（跑步機坡度0%、5%、10%）。依變項為心率、供氣鋼瓶通氣量、氣瓶可供氣時間、微氣候溫度、微氣候濕度、主觀知覺疲勞。實驗穿著組合有四種，包含穿著PPE（A級、B級）與負重（有、無）等四種，開始前參與者隨機穿著一種組合，穿著完成後，以時速4公里之步速，依序於坡度0%、5%、10%之跑步機上行走5分鐘，共計15分鐘。
結果指出，性別及負重有無，顯著影響心率與供氣鋼瓶通氣量。女性參與者相較於男性參與者之心率顯著高約14 bpm、供氣鋼瓶通氣量顯著高約70ml／kg-min、氣瓶可供氣時間平均約少1分鐘；另相較於無負重狀態，攜行負重之心率高約12 bpm、供氣鋼瓶通氣量高約26 ml／kg-min、氣瓶可供氣時間少約7分鐘。個人防護裝備及行走坡度顯著影響參與者的心率、供氣鋼瓶通氣量、微氣候溫度、微氣候濕度。相較於B級PPE，參與者穿著A級PPE時，心率高約15 bpm、供氣鋼瓶通氣量高約114 ml／kg-min、氣瓶可供氣時間少約12分鐘、微氣候溫度高約0.6℃、微氣候濕度高約3.6 %；另隨著跑步機坡度不斷上升，參與者的心率、供氣鋼瓶通氣量、微氣候溫度、微氣候濕度也隨之增加，而氣瓶可供氣時間則持續減少。主觀知覺疲勞方面，研究參與者無論穿著A及或者B級防護裝備，具有額外負重時之Borg分數，均較無負重時之分數高。同時穿著A級防護裝置時之主觀疲勞感受，較穿著B級防護裝置時高本研究結果可供化學兵或供氣式呼吸防護具相關作業之負荷評估、人員篩選及任務設計的參考。

The assessment of mission load pertaining to protective equipment and breathing cylinder operations is of critical importance, as is the comprehension of how mission or training intensity influences the physiological stress experienced by soldiers. Chemical units are essential in various scenarios, ranging from COVID-19 sanitization efforts to managing hazardous materials during the Ukraine–Russia conflict. During military operations, chemical troops are required to don heavy, impermeable protective gear, utilize self-contained breathing apparatus, and employ detection or disinfection equipment. Despite the unique demands associated with these missions, limited research exists on the relationship between mission intensity and the physiological toll on chemical troops.
In this study, we examined the effects of gender and simulated loads, including personal protective equipment (PPE), the presence or absence of weight, and walking gradient, on heart rate, oxygen consumption in cylinders, and microclimate (temperature and humidity inside the PPE). The experiment simulated the mission scenarios of Taiwan’s chemical troops. A total of 49 military participants were recruited for this study. The independent variables were gender, PPE (Levels A and B), presence or absence of weight (unarmed and holding a 10 kg weight), and walking gradient (treadmill gradients of 0%, 5%, and 10%). The dependent variables were heart rate, oxygen consumption from cylinders, oxygen cylinder supply time, microclimate temperature, microclimate humidity, and subjective perceived fatigue. There were four combinations of clothing, involving different PPE levels (A or B) and weight conditions (with or without). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the combinations before the experiment began and then walked on a treadmill at a speed of 4 kilometers per hour at inclines of 0%, 5%, and 10% for 5 minutes each, for a total of 15 minutes. During the experiment, heart rate, oxygen cylinder ventilation, microclimate temperature, and microclimate humidity were measured.
The results indicated that gender and the presence or absence of weight significantly affected heart rate and oxygen cylinder ventilation. Female participants exhibited a significantly higher heart rate, approximately 14 bpm, and significantly higher oxygen cylinder ventilation, approximately 70 ml/kg-min, compared to male participants. Additionally, the mean oxygen cylinder supply time for female participants was approximately 1 minute shorter than that of male participants. In the weighted condition, heart rate was approximately 12 bpm higher, oxygen cylinder ventilation was approximately 26 ml/kg-min greater, and the oxygen cylinder supply time was approximately 7 minutes shorter than in the unweighted condition. Compared to Level B PPE, when participants wore Level A PPE, their heart rate was approximately 15 bpm higher, oxygen cylinder ventilation was approximately 114 ml/kg-min higher, the oxygen cylinder supply time was approximately 12 minutes shorter, microclimate temperature was approximately 0.6℃higher, and microclimate humidity was approximately 3.6% higher. Furthermore, as the treadmill slope increased, participants’heart rate, oxygen cylinder ventilation, microclimate temperature, and microclimate humidity increased, while the oxygen cylinder supply time continued to decrease. Regarding subjective perceived fatigue, irrespective of whether the participants were wearing Level A or Level B PPE, their Borg scores were elevated when they carried additional weight compared to when they carried no weight. Concurrently, the subjective perception of fatigue while wearing Level A PPE was higher than that experienced when wearing Level B PPE. The findings of this study may serve as a reference for mission load assessment, mission executor selection, and mission design for chemical troops or missions related to oxygen-supplied respiratory protective equipment.