Research and Development of On-site Decontamination System for Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents

Abstract

Biological and chemical warfare agents (BCWAs) are diverse in nature including synthetic low molecular weight chemical warfare agents (gaseous choking and blood agents), volatile nerve gases and blister agents, nonvolatile vomit agents and lachrymators, biological toxins (polar low molecular weight toxins and proteinous toxins), and microorganisms (viruses, rickettsia, chlamydia and bacteria). In the consequence management against chemical and biological warfare terrorism, speedy decontamination of casualties, goods, items and equipments, buildings and field is required for the minimization of the terrorism damage. At present, washing casualties and contaminated materials with large volumes of water is the basic way, and hypochlorite solution is mainly used to decompose BCWAs. However, it still remains unsolved how to dispose the waste water contaminated with BCWAs, and decontaminating reagents have serious problems of high toxicity to human, despoiling nature to environment, long finishing time and non-durability. In addition, the present decontamination technologies are not effective, nonspecifically affecting the surrounding non-target materials. Therefore, it is the urgent matter to build up usable decontamination system surpassing the present system. The author introduces the joint project of research and development of the novel decontamination system against BCWAs, in the purpose of realizing non-dangerous, rapid, specific, effective and economical on-site decontamination. The project consists of establishment of the evaluation methods for decontamination, and verification of the present technologies and utilization of bacterial organophosphorus hydrolase, development of specific adsorptive elimination technologies using molecular recognition devices, and development of deactivation technologies using photocatalysis.

Decontamination of personal protective equipment and related materials contaminated with toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agent surrogates

“…Information on short (less than 5 min) neutralization reaction times is limited. Seto [7] reported the fast hydrolysis of G-series nerve agents during a 2-min incubation time in a weakly alkaline solution while hydrolysis of VX was slower with significant amounts left after 10 min.…”

The Respiratory Toxicity of Chemical Warfare Agents

“…An earlier study (Morse and Setterlind, 1950) indicated that exposures ranging from 23 to 970 mg/m 3 may be linked to lethal results in people. The LCt 50 for arsine gas is estimated to be 5,000 mg × min/m 3 (Seto, 2011). Within 1-24 h after inhalation at a high concentration, persons become ill and may experience hematuria (the voiding of dark, bloody urine).…”

Recent Advances in Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

“…For successful decontamination Decon Station Personnel and Medical First Responders should be trained, equipped, and clothed in a manner to safely decontaminate any exposed victim suspected of being contaminated. The work by Singh 19 , et al and Seto 20 give a comprehensive idea of the requirements for successful decontamination.…”