HEU Holdup Measurements in 321-M B and Spare U-Al Casting Furnaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salaymeh, S.R.

The Analytical Development Section of Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) was requested by the Facilities Decontamination Division (FDD) to determine the holdup of enriched uranium in the 321-M facility as part of an overall deactivation project of the facility. The 321-M facility was used to fabricate enriched uranium fuel assemblies, lithium-aluminum target tubes, neptunium assemblies, and miscellaneous components for the production reactors. This report covers holdup measurements in two uranium aluminum alloy (U-Al) casting furnaces. Our results indicate an upper limit of 235U content for the B and Spare furnaces of 51 and 67 g respectively. This report discusses themore » methodology, non-destructive assay (NDA) measurements, and results of the uranium holdup on the two furnaces.« less

Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 252: Area 25 Engine Test Stand 1 Decontamination Pad, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DOE /NV

This Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report (CADD/CR) has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 252: Area 25 Engine Test Stand-1 Decontamination Pad, in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO). Located at the Nevada Test Site in Nevada, CAU 252 consists of only one Corrective Action Site (25-07-04, Decontamination Pad). This CADD/CR identifies and rationalizes the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office's (DOE/NV's) recommendation that no corrective action is deemed necessary at CAU 252. The Corrective Action Decision Document and Closure Report have been combined into one report because the potential contaminants of concern weremore » either not detected during the corrective action investigation or were only present at naturally occurring concentrations. Based on the field results, neither corrective action or a corrective action plan is required at this site. A Notice of Completion to DOE/NV is being requested from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for closure of CAU 252, as well as a request that this site be moved from Appendix III to Appendix IV of the FFACO. Further, no use restrictions are required to be placed on this CAU.« less

Percutaneous toxicity and decontamination of soman, VX, and paraoxon in rats using detergents.

PubMed

Misík, Jan; Pavliková, Růžena; Kuča, Kamil

2013-06-01

Highly toxic organophosphorus compounds (OPs) were originally developed for warfare or as agricultural pesticides. Today, OPs represent a serious threat to military personnel and civilians. This study investigates the in vivo decontamination of male Wistar rats percutaneously exposed to paraoxon and two potent nerve agents--soman (GD) and VX. Four commercial detergents were tested as decontaminants--Neodekont(TM), Argos(TM), Dermogel(TM), and FloraFree(TM). Decontamination performed 2 min after exposure resulted in a higher survival rate in comparison with non-decontaminated controls. The decontamination effectiveness was expressed as protective ratio (PR, median lethal dose of agent in decontaminated animals divided by the median lethal dose of agent in untreated animals). The highest decontamination effectiveness was consistently achieved with Argos(TM) (PR=2.3 to 64.8), followed by Dermogel(TM) (PR=2.4 to 46.1). Neodekont(TM) and FloraFree(TM) provided the lowest decontamination effectiveness, equivalent to distilled water (PR=1.0 to 43.2).

Aptamers as the Agent in Decontamination Assays (Apta-Decontamination Assays): From the Environment to the Potential Application In Vivo

PubMed Central

Bilibana, Mawethu Pascoe; Yeoh, Tzi Shien; Tang, Thean-Hock

2017-01-01

The binding specificity and affinity of aptamers have long been harnessed as the key elements in the development of aptamer-based assays, particularly aptasensing application. One promising avenue that is currently explored based on the specificity and affinity of aptamers is the application of aptamers in the decontamination assays. Aptamers have been successfully harnessed as the decontamination agents to remove contaminants from the environment and to decontaminate infectious elements. The reversible denaturation property inherent in aptamers enables the repeated usage of aptamers, which can immensely save the cost of decontamination. Analogous to the point-of-care diagnostics, there is no doubt that aptamers can also be deployed in the point-of-care aptamer-based decontamination assay, whereby decontamination can be performed anywhere and anytime for instantaneous decision-making. It is also prophesied that aptamers can also serve more than as a decontaminant, probably as a tool to capture and kill hazardous elements, particularly pathogenic agents. PMID:29225967

Optimization of Nonambulant Mass Casualty Decontamination Protocols as Part of an Initial or Specialist Operational Response to Chemical Incidents.

PubMed

Chilcott, Robert P; Mitchell, Hannah; Matar, Hazem

2018-05-30

The UK's Initial Operational Response (IOR) is a new process for improving the survival of multiple casualties following a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident. Whilst the introduction of IOR represents a patient-focused response for ambulant casualties, there is currently no provision for disrobe and dry decontamination of nonambulant casualties. Moreover, the current specialist operational response (SOR) protocol for nonambulant casualty decontamination (also referred to as "clinical decontamination") has not been subject to rigorous evaluation or development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of putatively optimized dry (IOR) and wet (SOR) protocols for nonambulant decontamination in human volunteers. Dry and wet decontamination protocols were objectively evaluated using human volunteers. Decontamination effectiveness was quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the recovery of a chemical warfare agent simulant (methylsalicylate) from skin and hair of volunteers, with whole-body fluorescence imaging to quantify the skin distribution of residual simulant. Both the dry and wet decontamination processes were rapid (3 and 4 min, respectively) and were effective in removing simulant from the hair and skin of volunteers, with no observable adverse effects related to skin surface spreading of contaminant. Further studies are required to assess the combined effectiveness of dry and wet decontamination under more realistic conditions and to develop appropriate operational procedures that ensure the safety of first responders.

Sorption of Radionuclides to Building Materials and its ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal article Urban contamination via a number of radiological release scenarios may require simple decontamination methods that can be deployed for wide-area decontamination. This paper investigates a number of factors of importance for developing such decontamination methods, focusing on cesium.

Public experiences of mass casualty decontamination.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Rubin, G James; Williams, Richard; Amlôt, Richard

2012-09-01

In this article, we analyze feedback from simulated casualties who took part in field exercises involving mass decontamination, to gain an understanding of how responder communication can affect people's experiences of and compliance with decontamination. We analyzed questionnaire data gathered from 402 volunteers using the framework approach, to provide an insight into the public's experiences of decontamination and how these experiences are shaped by the actions of emergency responders. Factors that affected casualties' experiences of the decontamination process included the need for greater practical information and better communication from responders, and the need for privacy. Results support previous findings from small-scale incidents that involved decontamination in showing that participants wanted better communication from responders during the process of decontamination, including more practical information, and that the failure of responders to communicate effectively with members of the public led to anxiety about the decontamination process. The similarity between the findings from the exercises described in this article and previous research into real incidents involving decontamination suggests that field exercises provide a useful way to examine the effect of responder communication strategies on the public's experiences of decontamination. Future exercises should examine in more detail the effect of various communication strategies on the public's experiences of decontamination. This will facilitate the development of evidence-based communication strategies intended to reduce anxiety about decontamination and increase compliance among members of the public during real-life incidents that involve mass decontamination.

Polysaccharide-thickened aqueous fluoride solutions for rapid destruction of the nerve agent VX. Introducing the opportunity for extensive decontamination scenarios.

PubMed

Elias, Shlomi; Saphier, Sigal; Columbus, Ishay; Zafrani, Yossi

2014-01-01

Among the chemical warfare agents, the extremely toxic nerve agent VX (O-ethyl S-2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methylphosphonothioate) is a target of high importance in the development of decontamination methods, due to its indefinite persistence on common environmental surfaces. Liquid decontaminants are mostly characterized by high corrosivity, usually offer poor coverage, and tend to flow and accumulate in low areas. Therefore, the development of a noncorrosive decontaminant, sufficiently viscous to resist dripping from the contaminated surface, is necessary. In the present paper we studied different polysaccharides-thickened fluoride aqueous solutions as noncorrosive decontaminants for rapid and efficient VX degradation to the nontoxic product EMPA (ethyl methylphosphonic acid). Polysaccharides are environmentally benign, natural, and inexpensive. Other known decontaminants cannot be thickened by polysaccharides, due to the sensitivity of the latter toward basic or oxidizing agents. We found that the efficiency of VX degradation in these viscous solutions in terms of kinetics and product identity is similar to that of KF aqueous solutions. Guar gum (1.5 wt %) with 4 wt % KF was chosen for further evaluation. The benign nature, rheological properties, adhering capabilities to different surfaces, and decontamination from a porous matrix were examined. This formulation showed promising properties for implementation as a spray decontaminant for common and sensitive environmental surfaces.

Reactive decontamination of absorbing thin film polymer coatings: model development and parameter determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varady, Mark; Mantooth, Brent; Pearl, Thomas; Willis, Matthew

2014-03-01

A continuum model of reactive decontamination in absorbing polymeric thin film substrates exposed to the chemical warfare agent O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (known as VX) was developed to assess the performance of various decontaminants. Experiments were performed in conjunction with an inverse analysis method to obtain the necessary model parameters. The experiments involved contaminating a substrate with a fixed VX exposure, applying a decontaminant, followed by a time-resolved, liquid phase extraction of the absorbing substrate to measure the residual contaminant by chromatography. Decontamination model parameters were uniquely determined using the Levenberg-Marquardt nonlinear least squares fitting technique to best fit the experimental time evolution of extracted mass. The model was implemented numerically in both a 2D axisymmetric finite element program and a 1D finite difference code, and it was found that the more computationally efficient 1D implementation was sufficiently accurate. The resulting decontamination model provides an accurate quantification of contaminant concentration profile in the material, which is necessary to assess exposure hazards.

Current and emerging strategies for organophosphate decontamination: special focus on hyperstable enzymes.

PubMed

Jacquet, Pauline; Daudé, David; Bzdrenga, Janek; Masson, Patrick; Elias, Mikael; Chabrière, Eric

2016-05-01

Organophosphorus chemicals are highly toxic molecules mainly used as pesticides. Some of them are banned warfare nerve agents. These compounds are covalent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, a key enzyme in central and peripheral nervous systems. Numerous approaches, including chemical, physical, and biological decontamination, have been considered for developing decontamination methods against organophosphates (OPs). This work is an overview of both validated and emerging strategies for the protection against OP pollution with special attention to the use of decontaminating enzymes. Considerable efforts have been dedicated during the past decades to the development of efficient OP degrading biocatalysts. Among these, the promising biocatalyst SsoPox isolated from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is emphasized in the light of recently published results. This hyperthermostable enzyme appears to be particularly attractive for external decontamination purposes with regard to both its catalytic and stability properties.

Review of Four Years of Literature (1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988) for the Physiological and Psychological Effects of the Nuclear/Biological/Chemical and Extended Operations on Soldier Performance Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-30

LIMITING ACTIVATED ZOLUTION OF HYPOCHLORITE), SADS (SURFACE ACTIVE DISPLACEMENT SYSTEMS ), SACRIFICIAL COAT!ý:GS, MICRO EMULSIONS , DS2, STB SLURRY...CURRENT SYSTEMS AND THOSE IN DEVELOPMENT WITH NOT MEET ALL DECONTAMINATION NEEDS. ITEMS TO BE FIELDED WILL INCLUDE: AN EMULSION BSED DECONTAMINATION...DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT EXTERIORS; MICROEMULSIONS CONTAINING REACTIVE DECONTAMINANTS (FORMULATION, EFFICACY, AND 181 OPTIMIZATION); COOLING OF

Reactive skin decontamination lotion (RSDL) for the decontamination of chemical warfare agent (CWA) dermal exposure.

PubMed

Schwartz, M D; Hurst, C G; Kirk, M A; Reedy, S J D; Braue, E H

2012-08-01

Rapid decontamination of the skin is the single most important action to prevent dermal absorption of chemical contaminants in persons exposed to chemical warfare agents (CWA) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) as a result of accidental or intentional release. Chemicals on the skin may be removed by mechanical means through the use of dry sorbents or water. Recent interest in decontamination systems which both partition contaminants away from the skin and actively neutralize the chemical has led to the development of several reactive decontamination solutions. This article will review the recently FDA-approved Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) and will summarize the toxicity and efficacy studies conducted to date. Evidence of RSDL's superior performance against vesicant and organophosphorus chemical warfare agents compared to water, bleach, and dry sorbents, suggests that RSDL may have a role in mass human exposure chemical decontamination in both the military and civilian arenas.

Reconditioning of Cassini Narrow-Angle Camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

These five images of single stars, taken at different times with the narrow-angle camera on NASA's Cassini spacecraft, show the effects of haze collecting on the camera's optics, then successful removal of the haze by warming treatments.

The image on the left was taken on May 25, 2001, before the haze problem occurred. It shows a star named HD339457.

The second image from left, taken May 30, 2001, shows the effect of haze that collected on the optics when the camera cooled back down after a routine-maintenance heating to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). The star is Maia, one of the Pleiades.

The third image was taken on October 26, 2001, after a weeklong decontamination treatment at minus 7 C (19 F). The star is Spica.

The fourth image was taken of Spica January 30, 2002, after a weeklong decontamination treatment at 4 C (39 F).

The final image, also of Spica, was taken July 9, 2002, following three additional decontamination treatments at 4 C (39 F) for two months, one month, then another month.

Cassini, on its way toward arrival at Saturn in 2004, is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.

Large-Scale Urban Decontamination; Developments, Historical Examples and Lessons Learned

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rick Demmer

2007-02-01

Recent terrorist threats and actual events have lead to a renewed interest in the technical field of large scale, urban environment decontamination. One of the driving forces for this interest is the real potential for the cleanup and removal of radioactive dispersal device (RDD or “dirty bomb”) residues. In response the U. S. Government has spent many millions of dollars investigating RDD contamination and novel decontamination methodologies. Interest in chemical and biological (CB) cleanup has also peaked with the threat of terrorist action like the anthrax attack at the Hart Senate Office Building and with catastrophic natural events such asmore » Hurricane Katrina. The efficiency of cleanup response will be improved with these new developments and a better understanding of the “old reliable” methodologies. Perhaps the most interesting area of investigation for large area decontamination is that of the RDD. While primarily an economic and psychological weapon, the need to cleanup and return valuable or culturally significant resources to the public is nonetheless valid. Several private companies, universities and National Laboratories are currently developing novel RDD cleanup technologies. Because of its longstanding association with radioactive facilities, the U. S. Department of Energy National Laboratories are at the forefront in developing and testing new RDD decontamination methods. However, such cleanup technologies are likely to be fairly task specific; while many different contamination mechanisms, substrate and environmental conditions will make actual application more complicated. Some major efforts have also been made to model potential contamination, to evaluate both old and new decontamination techniques and to assess their readiness for use. Non-radioactive, CB threats each have unique decontamination challenges and recent events have provided some examples. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as lead agency for these emergency cleanup responses, has a sound approach for decontamination decision-making that has been applied several times. The anthrax contamination at the U. S. Hart Senate Office Building and numerous U. S. Post Office facilities are examples of employing novel technical responses. Decontamination of the Hart Office building required development of a new approach for high level decontamination of biological contamination as well as techniques for evaluating the technology effectiveness. The World Trade Center destruction also demonstrated the need for, and successful implementation of, appropriate cleanup methodologies. There are a number of significant lessons that can be gained from a look at previous large scale cleanup projects. Too often we are quick to apply a costly “package and dispose” method when sound technological cleaning approaches are available. Understanding historical perspectives, advanced planning and constant technology improvement are essential to successful decontamination.« less

Evaluation of Hydrogel Technologies for the Decontamination ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This current research effort was developed to evaluate intermediate level (between bench-scale and large-scale or wide-area implementation) decontamination procedures, materials, technologies, and techniques used to remove radioactive material from different surfaces. In the event of such an incident, application of this technology would primarily be intended for decontamination of high-value buildings, important infrastructure, and landmarks.

APPR-1 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DECONTAMINATION PROGRAM. TASK II. VOLUME II. EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR DECONTAMINATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zegger, J.L.; Pancer, G.P.

1959-02-15

The caustic permanganante-rinse decontamination studies were performed to determine optimum operating conditions as well as the metallurgical effects of the treatment. A treatment with 10% NaOH and 5% potassium by a rinse with a 5% ammorium citrate, 2% citric acid and 1/2% Versene solution was chosen for the decontamination of a stainless steel steam generator, Decontamination factors of greater than 50 were obtained in loop tests using the above treatment. Corrosion and metallurgical results indicated a total penetration of less than 0.01 mil on annealed type 304 stainless steel with no evidence of any deleterious effects. (auth)

Comparison of skin decontamination efficacy of commercial decontamination products following exposure to VX on human skin.

PubMed

Thors, L; Koch, M; Wigenstam, E; Koch, B; Hägglund, L; Bucht, A

2017-08-01

The decontamination efficacy of four commercially available skin decontamination products following exposure to the nerve agent VX was evaluated in vitro utilizing a diffusion cell and dermatomed human skin. The products included were Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL), the Swedish decontamination powder 104 (PS104), the absorbent Fuller's Earth and the aqueous solution alldecontMED. In addition, various decontamination procedures were assessed to further investigate important mechanisms involved in the specific products, e.g. decontamination removal from skin, physical removal by sponge swabbing and activation of degradation mechanisms. The efficacy of each decontamination product was evaluated 5 or 30 min after dermal application of VX (neat or diluted to 20% in water). The RSDL-lotion was superior in reducing the penetration of VX through human skin, both when exposed as neat agent and when diluted to 20% in water. Swabbing with the RSDL-sponge during 2 min revealed decreased efficacy compared to applying the RSDL-lotion directly on the skin for 30 min. Decontamination with Fuller's Earth and alldecontMED significantly reduced the penetration of neat concentration of VX through human skin. PS104-powder was insufficient for decontamination of VX at both time-points, independently of the skin contact time of PS104. The PS104-slurry (a mixture of PS104-powder and water), slightly improved the decontamination efficacy. Comparing the time-points for initiated decontamination revealed less penetrated VX for RSDL and Fuller's Earth when decontamination was initiated after 5 min compared to 30 min post-exposure, while alldecontMED displayed similar efficacy at both time-points. Decontamination by washing with water only resulted in a significant reduction of penetrated VX when washing was performed 5 min after exposure, but not when decontamination was delayed to 30 min post-exposure of neat VX. In conclusion, early initiated decontamination with the RSDL-lotion, containing both absorption and degrading properties, allowed to act on skin for 30 min was superior in preventing VX from penetrating human skin. Adding water during decontamination resulted in increased penetration of neat VX, however, water in the decontaminant removal process did not influence the decontamination efficacy. From our study on commercially available decontaminants, it is recommended that future product developments should include both strong absorbents and efficient nerve agent degrading components. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Efficient Multistrategy DNA Decontamination Procedure of PCR Reagents for Hypersensitive PCR Applications

PubMed Central

Pruvost, Mélanie; Bennett, E. Andrew; Grange, Thierry; Geigl, Eva-Maria

2010-01-01

Background PCR amplification of minute quantities of degraded DNA for ancient DNA research, forensic analyses, wildlife studies and ultrasensitive diagnostics is often hampered by contamination problems. The extent of these problems is inversely related to DNA concentration and target fragment size and concern (i) sample contamination, (ii) laboratory surface contamination, (iii) carry-over contamination, and (iv) contamination of reagents. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we performed a quantitative evaluation of current decontamination methods for these last three sources of contamination, and developed a new procedure to eliminate contaminating DNA contained in PCR reagents. We observed that most current decontamination methods are either not efficient enough to degrade short contaminating DNA molecules, rendered inefficient by the reagents themselves, or interfere with the PCR when used at doses high enough to eliminate these molecules. We also show that efficient reagent decontamination can be achieved by using a combination of treatments adapted to different reagent categories. Our procedure involves γ- and UV-irradiation and treatment with a mutant recombinant heat-labile double-strand specific DNase from the Antarctic shrimp Pandalus borealis. Optimal performance of these treatments is achieved in narrow experimental conditions that have been precisely analyzed and defined herein. Conclusions/Significance There is not a single decontamination method valid for all possible contamination sources occurring in PCR reagents and in the molecular biology laboratory and most common decontamination methods are not efficient enough to decontaminate short DNA fragments of low concentration. We developed a versatile multistrategy decontamination procedure for PCR reagents. We demonstrate that this procedure allows efficient reagent decontamination while preserving the efficiency of PCR amplification of minute quantities of DNA. PMID:20927390

Fighting Ebola with novel spore decontamination technologies for the military

DOE PAGES

Doona, Christopher J.; Feeherry, Florence E.; Kustin, Kenneth; ...

2015-08-12

Recently, global public health organizations such as Doctors without Borders (MSF), the World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health Canada, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. government developed and deployed Field Decontamination Kits (FDKs), a novel, lightweight, compact, reusable decontamination technology to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical devices at remote clinical sites lacking infra-structure in crisis-stricken regions of West Africa (medical waste materials are placed in bags and burned). Here, the basis for effectuating sterilization with FDKs is chlorine dioxide (ClO 2) produced from a patented invention developed by researchers at the US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center (NSRDEC) and commercializedmore » as a dry mixed-chemical for bacterial spore decontamination.« less

Fighting Ebola with novel spore decontamination technologies for the military

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doona, Christopher J.; Feeherry, Florence E.; Kustin, Kenneth

Recently, global public health organizations such as Doctors without Borders (MSF), the World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health Canada, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. government developed and deployed Field Decontamination Kits (FDKs), a novel, lightweight, compact, reusable decontamination technology to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical devices at remote clinical sites lacking infra-structure in crisis-stricken regions of West Africa (medical waste materials are placed in bags and burned). Here, the basis for effectuating sterilization with FDKs is chlorine dioxide (ClO 2) produced from a patented invention developed by researchers at the US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center (NSRDEC) and commercializedmore » as a dry mixed-chemical for bacterial spore decontamination.« less

Techno-commercial aspects of food irradiation in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Arun; Madhusoodanan, P.

2012-08-01

Research and development work has been carried out at Food Technology Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Center for more than past fifty years. After establishing potential commercial applications, a lot of time and efforts were spent on proving the wholesomeness and nutritional adequacy of irradiated foods. The first approval from health authorities came in 1994 for processing potato, onion and spices. Additional commodities were approved in 1998 and 2001, bringing the list of commodities to more than 20. Two technology demonstration plants were set up by the government, one for high dose applications like microbial decontamination of spices and dry vegetables in 2000, and another for low dose applications, like sprout inhibition and insect disinfestation, in 2003. In 2004, irradiation was approved as a quarantine measure. This enabled export of mango to USA after a gap of 18 years in 2007. More than a dozen plants have now been set up by private entrepreneurs in the country.

Chemical decontamination technical resources at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2008)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, Murray E

This document supplies information resources for a person seeking to create planning or pre-planning documents for chemical decontamination operations. A building decontamination plan can be separated into four different sections: Pre-planning, Characterization, Decontamination (Initial response and also complete cleanup), and Clearance. Of the identified Los Alamos resources, they can be matched with these four sections: Pre-planning -- Dave Seidel, EO-EPP, Emergency Planning and Preparedness; David DeCroix and Bruce Letellier, D-3, Computational fluids modeling of structures; Murray E. Moore, RP-2, Aerosol sampling and ventilation engineering. Characterization (this can include development projects) -- Beth Perry, IAT-3, Nuclear Counterterrorism Response (SNIPER database); Fernandomore » Garzon, MPA-11, Sensors and Electrochemical Devices (development); George Havrilla, C-CDE, Chemical Diagnostics and Engineering; Kristen McCabe, B-7, Biosecurity and Public Health. Decontamination -- Adam Stively, EO-ER, Emergency Response; Dina Matz, IHS-IP, Industrial hygiene; Don Hickmott, EES-6, Chemical cleanup. Clearance (validation) -- Larry Ticknor, CCS-6, Statistical Sciences.« less

Wide-area decontamination in an urban environment after radiological dispersion: A review and perspectives.

PubMed

Kaminski, Michael D; Lee, Sang Don; Magnuson, Matthew

2016-03-15

Nuclear or radiological terrorism in the form of uncontrolled radioactive contamination presents a unique challenge in the field of nuclear decontamination. Potential targets require an immediate decontamination response, or mitigation plan to limit the social and economic impact. To date, experience with urban decontamination of building materials - specifically hard, porous, external surfaces - is limited to nuclear weapon fallout and nuclear reactor accidents. Methods are lacking for performing wide-area decontamination in an urban environment so that in all release scenarios the area may be re-occupied without evaluation and/or restriction. Also lacking is experience in developing mitigation strategies, that is, methods of mitigating contamination and its resultant radiation dose in key areas during the immediate aftermath of an event and after lifesaving operations. To date, the tremendous strategy development effort primarily by the European community has focused on the recovery phase, which extends years beyond the release event. In this review, we summarize the methods and data collected over the past 70 years in the field of hard, external surface decontamination of radionuclide contaminations, with emphasis on methods suitable for response to radiological dispersal devices and their potentially unique physico-chemical characteristics. This review concludes that although a tremendous amount of work has been completed primarily by the European Community (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK), the few studies existing on each technique permit only very preliminary estimates of decontamination factors for various building materials and methods and extrapolation of those values for use in environments outside the EU and UK. This data shortage prevents us from developing an effective and detailed mitigation response plan and remediation effort. Perhaps most importantly, while the data available does include valuable information on the practical aspects of performing the various remediation methods including costs, coverage rates, manpower, pitfalls, etc., it lacks the details on lessons learned, best practices, and standard procedures, for instance, that would be required to develop a mitigation strategy. While the urban decontamination problem is difficult and there is much more research to do, the existing literature provides a framework for a response plan. Using this framework, in conjunction with computer modeling and relevant data collection, can lead to development of appropriate plans and exercises that would permit development of a mitigation and remediation response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro skin permeation and decontamination of the organophosphorus pesticide paraoxon under various physical conditions--evidence for a wash-in effect.

PubMed

Misik, Jan; Pavlikova, Ruzena; Josse, Denis; Cabal, Jiri; Kuca, Kamil

2012-09-01

Misuse of various chemicals, such as chemical warfare agents, industrial chemicals or pesticides during warfare or terrorists attacks requires adequate protection. Thus, development and evaluation of novel decontamination dispositives and techniques are needed. In this study, in vitro permeation and decontamination of a potentially hazardous compound paraoxon, an active metabolite of organophosphorus pesticide parathion, was investigated. Skin permeation and decontamination experiments were carried out in modified Franz diffusion cells. Pig skin was used as a human skin model. Commercially produced detergent-based washing solutions FloraFree(™) and ArgosTM were used as decontamination means. The experiments were done under "warm", "cold", "dry" and "wet" skin conditions in order to determine an effect of various physical conditions on skin permeation of paraoxon and on a subsequent decontamination process. There was no significant difference in skin permeation of paraoxon under warm, cold and dry conditions, whereas wet conditions provided significantly higher permeation rates. In the selected conditions, decontamination treatments performed 1 h after a skin exposure did not decrease the agent volume that permeated through the skin. An exception were wet skin conditions with non-significant decontamination efficacy 18 and 28% for the FloraFree(™) and Argos(™) treatment, respectively. In contrast, the skin permeation of paraoxon under warm, cold and dry conditions increased up to 60-290% following decontamination compared to non-decontaminated controls. This has previously been described as a skin wash-in effect.

Skin decontamination with mineral cationic carrier against sarin determined in vivo.

PubMed

Vucemilović, Ante; Hadzija, Mirko; Jukić, Ivan

2009-06-01

Our Institute's nuclear, biological, and chemical defense research team continuously investigates and develops preparations for skin decontamination against nerve agents. In this in vivo study, we evaluated skin decontamination efficacy against sarin by a synthetic preparation called Mineral Cationic Carrier (MCC) with known ion exchange, absorption efficacy and bioactive potential. Mice were treated with increasing doses of sarin applied on their skin, and MCC was administered immediately after contamination. The results showed that decontamination with MCC could achieve therapeutic efficacy corresponding to 3 x LD(50) of percutaneous sarin and call for further research.

Development of chlorine dioxide releasing film and its application in decontaminating fresh produce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A feasibility study was conducted to develop chlorine dioxide releasing packaging films for decontaminating fresh produce. Sodium chlorite and citric acid powder were incorporated into polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. Films made with different amount of PLA (100 & 300 mg), percentage of reactant (5-60...

[Regulations for decontamination of surfaces polluted as a result of chemical accidents (concept approaches)].

PubMed

Filatov, B N; Britanov, N G; Tochilkina, L P; Zhukov, V E; Maslennikov, A A; Ignatenko, M N; Volchek, K

2011-01-01

The threat of industrial chemical accidents and terrorist attacks requires the development of safety regulations for the cleanup of contaminated surfaces. This paper presents principles and a methodology for the development of a new toxicological parameter, "relative value unit" (RVU) as the primary decontamination standard.

Posttransplant complications in adult recipients of intestine grafts without bowel decontamination.

PubMed

Clouse, Jared W; Kubal, Chandrashekhar A; Fridell, Jonathan A; Mangus, Richard S

2018-05-01

Selective digestive decontamination is commonly used to decrease lumenal bacterial flora. Preoperative bowel decontamination may be associated with a lower wound infection rate but has not been shown to decrease risk of intra-abdominal abscess or lower leak rate for enteric anastomoses. Alternatively, the decontamination disrupts the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract and may affect normal physiology, including immunologic function. This study reports complication rates of an intestine transplant program that has never used bowel decontamination. All adult patients who underwent intestine transplant from 2003 to 2015 at a single center were reviewed. Posttransplant complications included intra-abdominal abscess, enteric fistula, and leak from the enteric anastomosis. Viral, fungal, and bacterial infections in the first year after transplant are reported. There were 184 adult patients who underwent deceased donor intestine transplant during the study period. Among these patients, 30% developed an infected postoperative fluid collection, 4 developed an enteric fistula (2%), and 16 had an enteric or anastomotic leak (8%). The rate of any bacterial infection was 91% in the first year, with a wound infection rate of 25%. Fungal infection occurred in 47% of patients. Rejection rates were 55% at 1 y for isolated intestine patients and 17% for multivisceral (liver inclusive) patients. Among this population of intestine transplant patients in which no bowel decontamination was used, rates of surgical complications, infections, and rejection were similar to those reported by other centers. Bowel decontamination provides no identifiable benefit in intestine transplantation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential biodefense model applications for portable chlorine dioxide gas production.

PubMed

Stubblefield, Jeannie M; Newsome, Anthony L

2015-01-01

Development of decontamination methods and strategies to address potential infectious disease outbreaks and bioterrorism events are pertinent to this nation's biodefense strategies and general biosecurity. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas has a history of use as a decontamination agent in response to an act of bioterrorism. However, the more widespread use of ClO2 gas to meet current and unforeseen decontamination needs has been hampered because the gas is too unstable for shipment and must be prepared at the application site. Newer technology allows for easy, onsite gas generation without the need for dedicated equipment, electricity, water, or personnel with advanced training. In a laboratory model system, 2 unique applications (personal protective equipment [PPE] and animal skin) were investigated in the context of potential development of decontamination protocols. Such protocols could serve to reduce human exposure to bacteria in a decontamination response effort. Chlorine dioxide gas was capable of reducing (2-7 logs of vegetative and spore-forming bacteria), and in some instances eliminating, culturable bacteria from difficult to clean areas on PPE facepieces. The gas was effective in eliminating naturally occurring bacteria on animal skin and also on skin inoculated with Bacillus spores. The culturable bacteria, including Bacillus spores, were eliminated in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Results of these studies suggested portable, easily used ClO2 gas generation systems have excellent potential for protocol development to contribute to biodefense strategies and decontamination responses to infectious disease outbreaks or other biothreat events.

Decontamination and management of human remains following incidents of hazardous chemical release.

PubMed

Hauschild, Veronique D; Watson, Annetta; Bock, Robert

2012-01-01

To provide specific guidance and resources for systematic and orderly decontamination of human remains resulting from a chemical terrorist attack or accidental chemical release. A detailed review and health-based decision criteria protocol is summarized. Protocol basis and logic are derived from analyses of compound-specific toxicological data and chemical/physical characteristics. Guidance is suitable for civilian or military settings where human remains potentially contaminated with hazardous chemicals may be present, such as sites of transportation accidents, terrorist operations, or medical examiner processing points. Guidance is developed from data-characterizing controlled experiments with laboratory animals, fabrics, and materiel. Logic and specific procedures for decontamination and management of remains, protection of mortuary affairs personnel, and decision criteria to determine when remains are sufficiently decontaminated are presented. Established procedures as well as existing materiel and available equipment for decontamination and verification provide reasonable means to mitigate chemical hazards from chemically exposed remains. Unique scenarios such as those involving supralethal concentrations of certain liquid chemical warfare agents may prove difficult to decontaminate but can be resolved in a timely manner by application of the characterized systematic approaches. Decision criteria and protocols to "clear" decontaminated remains for transport and processing are also provided. Once appropriate decontamination and verification have been accomplished, normal procedures for management of remains and release can be followed.

Remote operated vehicle with CO{sub 2} blasting (ROVCO{sub 2}): Volume 1. Final report, September 1993--July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-06-01

This report documents the second phase of the Remote Operated Vehicle with CO{sub 2} Blasting (ROVCO{sub 2}) Program. The ROVCO{sub 2} Program`s goal is to develop and demonstrate a tool to improve the productivity of concrete floor decontamination. The second phase integrated non-developmental subsystems on to the ROVCO{sub 2} system and performed quantitative decontamination effectiveness, productivity, and reliability testings. The report documents these development activities and the analysis of cost and performance. The results show that the ROVCO{sub 2} system is an efficient decontamination tool.

Development of Personal Decontamination System Final Report CRADA No. TC-02078-04

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, W. J.; O'Dell, P.

2017-09-27

This was a collaborative effort between The Regents of the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and O’Dell Engineering, Ltd. (O’Dell) to develop an improved low-cost personal decontamination system for Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) and chemical agents. The significant change to the project was that COTS (Commercial Off-the Shelf Components) were identified that performed as well, or better than, the proprietary materials created and tested as part of this CRADA. These COTS components were combined to create a new LPDS (low-cost personal decontamination system) that met all specifications.

Development of a Persistent Chemical Agent Simulator System (PCASS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcginness, W. G.

1983-01-01

The development of a persistent chemical agent simulation system (PCASS) is described. This PCASS is to be used for the military training of troops to simulate actual chemical warfare. The purpose of this system is to facilitate in the determination of chemical contamination and effectiveness of decontamination for training purposes. The fluorescent tracer employed has no daylight activation, but yet is easily removed with a decontaminate solution or water and surfactants. Also employed is a time delayed color developing system. When an individual is subjected to the PCASS and does not decontaminate adequately, red blotches or red coloration will develop as a function of time and temperature. The intent of this is to simulate the delayed chemical reaction of mustard contaminates.

Development and demonstration of techniques for reducing occupational radiation doses during refueling outages. Task 1. Steam generator channel head decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrams, W.T.; Cope, A.W.; Orsulak, R.M.

The overall objective of Task 1 was to demonstrate an effective method for removing tenacious corrosion products in a pressurized water reactor steam generator and thus significantly reduce radiation exposure during subsequent maintenance activities. Various decontamination methods were evaluated and a multistep, low concentration chemical process originated by Kraftwerk Union A.G. (KWU) of the Federal Republic of Germany was selected. The process was further developed and tested by C-E and KWU in West Germany and at C-E's facilities in Windsor, Connecticut. C-E designed, fabricated and tested a portable system to apply the process at Millstone Point II. The decontamination ofmore » the primary channel heads of the two Millstone steam generators was performed by C-E and NUSCO during the 1983 refueling shutdown of Millstone Point II plant. Results of the decontamination were very satisfactory. NUSCO determined that a net savings of 3660 man-rem of personnel exposure was realized during the decontamination demonstration and the subsequent maintenance work on the steam generators.« less

Effective responder communication improves efficiency and psychological outcomes in a mass decontamination field experiment: implications for public behaviour in the event of a chemical incident.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Amlôt, Richard; Rubin, G James; Williams, Richard

2014-01-01

The risk of incidents involving mass decontamination in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear release has increased in recent years, due to technological advances, and the willingness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Planning for such incidents has focused on the technical issues involved, rather than on psychosocial concerns. This paper presents a novel experimental study, examining the effect of three different responder communication strategies on public experiences and behaviour during a mass decontamination field experiment. Specifically, the research examined the impact of social identity processes on the relationship between effective responder communication, and relevant outcome variables (e.g. public compliance, public anxiety, and co-operative public behaviour). All participants (n = 111) were asked to visualise that they had been involved in an incident involving mass decontamination, before undergoing the decontamination process, and receiving one of three different communication strategies: 1) 'Theory-based communication': Health-focused explanations about decontamination, and sufficient practical information; 2) 'Standard practice communication': No health-focused explanations about decontamination, sufficient practical information; 3) 'Brief communication': No health-focused explanations about decontamination, insufficient practical information. Four types of data were collected: timings of the decontamination process; observational data; and quantitative and qualitative self-report data. The communication strategy which resulted in the most efficient progression of participants through the decontamination process, as well as the fewest observations of non-compliance and confusion, was that which included both health-focused explanations about decontamination and sufficient practical information. Further, this strategy resulted in increased perceptions of responder legitimacy and increased identification with responders, which in turn resulted in higher levels of expected compliance during a real incident, and increased willingness to help other members of the public. This study shows that an understanding of the social identity approach facilitates the development of effective responder communication strategies for incidents involving mass decontamination.

Effective Responder Communication Improves Efficiency and Psychological Outcomes in a Mass Decontamination Field Experiment: Implications for Public Behaviour in the Event of a Chemical Incident

PubMed Central

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Amlôt, Richard; Rubin, G. James; Williams, Richard

2014-01-01

The risk of incidents involving mass decontamination in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear release has increased in recent years, due to technological advances, and the willingness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Planning for such incidents has focused on the technical issues involved, rather than on psychosocial concerns. This paper presents a novel experimental study, examining the effect of three different responder communication strategies on public experiences and behaviour during a mass decontamination field experiment. Specifically, the research examined the impact of social identity processes on the relationship between effective responder communication, and relevant outcome variables (e.g. public compliance, public anxiety, and co-operative public behaviour). All participants (n = 111) were asked to visualise that they had been involved in an incident involving mass decontamination, before undergoing the decontamination process, and receiving one of three different communication strategies: 1) ‘Theory-based communication’: Health-focused explanations about decontamination, and sufficient practical information; 2) ‘Standard practice communication’: No health-focused explanations about decontamination, sufficient practical information; 3) ‘Brief communication’: No health-focused explanations about decontamination, insufficient practical information. Four types of data were collected: timings of the decontamination process; observational data; and quantitative and qualitative self-report data. The communication strategy which resulted in the most efficient progression of participants through the decontamination process, as well as the fewest observations of non-compliance and confusion, was that which included both health-focused explanations about decontamination and sufficient practical information. Further, this strategy resulted in increased perceptions of responder legitimacy and increased identification with responders, which in turn resulted in higher levels of expected compliance during a real incident, and increased willingness to help other members of the public. This study shows that an understanding of the social identity approach facilitates the development of effective responder communication strategies for incidents involving mass decontamination. PMID:24595097

Development of Novel Decontamination Techniques for Chemical Agents (GB, VX, HD) Contaminated Facilities. Phase 1. Identification and Evaluation of Novel Decontamination Concepts. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

Phosphoric, citric or other acids may be used as coupling agent/solvents in the cleaning tank. Decontamination solutions may also be used. Ultrasonics may be...111-54 "THERMAL DECOMPOSITION USING CO2 LASER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111-63 >’HYDROBLASTING. III-70 (-7, ACID ETCH/ NUTRALIZATION...111-192 NITRIC ACID . . .*. . . . .\\. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TII-197 AMMONIA • • . . . • . . . . • . . . . . .... . ...... . 111-202 DANC .1

Compendium of Licensable Patents Issued to the Edgewood Research, Development and Engineering Center and Previous Activities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-01-01

of Chemical Decontamination Inventors Philip W. Bartram, Noel C. Dibona , James H. Buchanan and Dennis K. Rohrbaugh Abstract An absorption process of...Decontamination Inventors Philip W. Bartram, Noel C. Dibona , James H. Buchanan and Dennis K. Rohrbaugh Abstract An improved method of decontaminating a...Using a Macro-reticular Strong Acid Resin Inventors Philip W. Bartram, Noel C. Dibona , James H. Buchanan, and Dennis K. Rohrbaugh Abstract A

An improved method for emergent decontamination of ocular and dermal hydrofluoric acid splashes.

PubMed

Soderberg, Kjell; Kuusinen, Petri; Mathieu, Laurence; Hall, Alan H

2004-08-01

Accidental hydrofluoric acid (HF) splashes often occur in industrial settings. HF easily penetrates into tissues by initial acid action allowing fluoride ions to penetrate deeply, chelating calcium and magnesium. Resultant hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia can be fatal. This report describes the utilization of Hexafluorine--a hypertonic, amphoteric, chelating decontamination solution--in workplaces where water decontamination followed by calcium gluconate inunction failed to prevent HF burns and systemic toxicity. Between 1998 and 1999, 16 cases of ocular and dermal HF splashes with either 70% HF or 6% HF/15% nitric acid (HNO3) were decontaminated with Hexafluorine at the worksite. HF burns did not develop and medical treatment other than initial decontamination was not reQuired in 12/16 (75%). In 7/16 (44%) cases, lost work time corresponded to duration of hospital observation (mean < 1 d).

Technical Improvements to an Absorbing Supergel for Radiological Decontamination in Tropical Environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaminski, Michael D.; Mertz, Carol J.; Kivenas, Nadia

Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) developed a superabsorbing gel-based process (SuperGel) for the decontamination of cesium from concrete and other porous building materials. Here, we report on results that tested the gel decontamination technology on specific concrete and ceramic formulations from a coastal city in Southeast Asia, which may differ significantly from some U.S. sources. Results are given for the evaluation of americium and cesium sequestering agents that are commercially available at a reasonable cost; the evaluation of a new SuperGel formulation that combines the decontamination properties of cesium and americium; the variation of the contamination concentration to determine the effectsmore » on the decontamination factors with concrete, tile, and brick samples; and pilot-scale testing (0.02–0.09 m2 or 6–12 in. square coupons).« less

Reducing Risk of Salmonellosis through Egg Decontamination Processes.

PubMed

Keerthirathne, Thilini Piushani; Ross, Kirstin; Fallowfield, Howard; Whiley, Harriet

2017-03-22

Eggs have a high nutritional value and are an important ingredient in many food products. Worldwide foodborne illnesses, such as salmonellosis linked to the consumption of eggs and raw egg products, are a major public health concern. This review focuses on previous studies that have investigated the procedures for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. Studies exploring pasteurization and decontamination methods were investigated. Gamma irradiation, freeze drying, hot air, hot water, infra-red, atmospheric steam, microwave heating and radiofrequency heating are all different decontamination methods currently considered for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. However, each decontamination procedure has different effects on the properties and constituents of the egg. The pasteurization processes are the most widely used and best understood; however, they influence the coagulation, foaming and emulsifying properties of the egg. Future studies are needed to explore combinations of different decontamination methods to produce safe eggs without impacting the protein structure and usability. Currently, eggs which have undergone decontamination processes are primarily used in food prepared for vulnerable populations. However, the development of a decontamination method that does not affect egg properties and functionality could be used in food prepared for the general population to provide greater public health protection.

Reducing Risk of Salmonellosis through Egg Decontamination Processes

PubMed Central

Keerthirathne, Thilini Piushani; Ross, Kirstin; Fallowfield, Howard; Whiley, Harriet

2017-01-01

Eggs have a high nutritional value and are an important ingredient in many food products. Worldwide foodborne illnesses, such as salmonellosis linked to the consumption of eggs and raw egg products, are a major public health concern. This review focuses on previous studies that have investigated the procedures for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. Studies exploring pasteurization and decontamination methods were investigated. Gamma irradiation, freeze drying, hot air, hot water, infra-red, atmospheric steam, microwave heating and radiofrequency heating are all different decontamination methods currently considered for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. However, each decontamination procedure has different effects on the properties and constituents of the egg. The pasteurization processes are the most widely used and best understood; however, they influence the coagulation, foaming and emulsifying properties of the egg. Future studies are needed to explore combinations of different decontamination methods to produce safe eggs without impacting the protein structure and usability. Currently, eggs which have undergone decontamination processes are primarily used in food prepared for vulnerable populations. However, the development of a decontamination method that does not affect egg properties and functionality could be used in food prepared for the general population to provide greater public health protection. PMID:28327524

Defending Against Biological and Chemical Attacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

addition, we field integrated installation consequence management response capabilities to select installations both at home and abroad. Just as...decon- tamination, like self-decontaminating or strippable coat- ings for vehicles; we are developing technologies to focus decontamination on the

Multiple animal studies for medical chemical defense program in soldier/patient decontamination and drug development on task order 86-25: Evaluation of the effectiveness of two ROHM and HAAS candidate decontamination systems against percutaneous application of undiluted TGD, Gd, VX HD, and L on the laboratory albino rabbit. Final report, 1 September 1986-1 February 1987

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joiner, R.L.; Keys, W.B.; Harroff, H.H.

1988-02-18

A task was assigned to Battelle's Medical Research and Evaluation Facility(MREF) to evaluate the effectiveness of two candidate decontamination systems when compared to the standard dual component M258A1 decontamination system currently fielded by the U.S. Army. The chemical surety material (CSM) used in the evaluation were the organophosphates Soman (GD), polymer thickened GD (TGD), and VX, and the vesicants sulfur mustard (HD) and Lewisite (LS). The efficacies of the two candidate decontamination systems were evaluated in such a manner as to determine the LD50 and protective ratio (PR) for each decontaminant against each organophosphate CSM as compared to the standardmore » M258A1 decontamination system LD50. The PR constituted a comparison for each candidate system against the M258A1 standard. In the vesicant phase of the screen, the efficacies of the candidate systems were evaluated in a side-by-side comparison to the M258A1 decontamination system to determine whether the candidates were as good as or better than the standard dual component system.« less

Nonacid meat decontamination technologies: model studies and commercial applications.

PubMed

Sofos, J N; Smith, G C

1998-11-10

Increased consumer awareness and concern about microbial foodborne diseases has resulted in intensified efforts to reduce contamination of raw meat, as evidenced by new meat and poultry inspection regulations being implemented in the United States. In addition to requiring operation of meat and poultry slaughtering and processing plants under the principles of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system, the new regulations have established microbiological testing criteria for Escherichia coli and Salmonella, as a means of evaluating plant performance. These developments have renewed and intensified interest in the development and commercial application of meat and poultry decontamination procedures. Technologies developed and evaluated for decontamination include live animal cleaning/washing, chemical dehairing, carcass knife-trimming to remove physical contaminants, steam/hot water-vacuuming for spot-cleaning/decontamination of carcasses, spray washing/rinsing of carcasses with water of low or high pressures and temperatures or chemical solutions, and exposure of carcass sides to pressurized steam. Under appropriate conditions, the technologies applied to carcasses may reduce mean microbiological counts by approximately one-three log colony forming units (cfu)/cm2, and some of them have been approved and are employed in commercial applications (i.e., steam-vacuuming; carcass spray-washing with water, chlorine, organic acid or trisodium phosphate solutions; hot water deluging/spraying/rinsing, and pressurized steam). The contribution of these decontamination technologies to the enhancement of food safety will be determined over the long term, as surveillance data on microbial foodborne illness are collected. This review examines carcass decontamination technologies, other than organic acids, with emphasis placed on recent advances and commercial applications.

2010 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held the “2010 EPA Decontamination Research and Development Conference” to enable participants from throughout the world to discuss decontamination issues. In addition to the Plenary Session, the meeting addressed nine topic areas.

Civilian First Responder Decontamination Equipment Characteristics Survey Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

EQUIPMENT CHARACTERISTICS SURVEY RESULTS Scott Kooistra Shawn Bowen John Walther PROGRAM INTEGRATION DIRECTORATE Michael B. DeZearn ENGINEERING...COVERED (From - To) Mar 2007-Feb 2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Civilian First Responder Decontamination Equipment Characteristics Survey Results 5a...Department of Homeland Security/National Institute of Standards and Technology (DHS/NIST) Standards Development Team to develop a survey to

Simple triage and rapid decontamination of mass casualties with colored clothes pegs (STARDOM-CCP) system against chemical releases.

PubMed

Okumura, Tetsu; Kondo, Hisayoshi; Nagayama, Hitomi; Makino, Toshiro; Yoshioka, Toshiharu; Yamamoto, Yasuhiro

2007-01-01

The efficiency and speed with which first responders, paramedics, and emergency physicians respond to an event caused by the release of a chemical is an important concern in all modern cities worldwide. A system for the initial triage and decontamination of victims of a chemical release was developed using colored clothes pegs of the following seven colors: red, yellow, green, black, white, and blue. Red indicates the need for emergency care, yellow for semi-emergency care, green for non-emergency care, black for expectant, white for dry decontamination, and blue for wet decontamination. The system can be employed as one of the techniques directed at improving the efficiency of decontamination in countries where there is a risk of chemical releases. It is recommended that this system should be adopted internationally and used for both drills and actual events.

System decontamination as a tool to control radiation fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riess, R.; Bertholdt, H.O.

1995-03-01

Since chemical decontamination of the Reactor Coolant Systems (RCS) and subsystems has the highest potential to reduce radiation fields in a short term this technology has gained an increasing importance. The available decontamination process at Siemens, i.e., the CORD processes, will be described. It is characterized by using permanganic acid for preoxidation and diluted organic acid for the decontamination step. It is a regenerative process resulting in very low waste volumes. This technology has been used frequently in Europe and Japan in both RCS and subsystems. An overview will be given i.e. on the 1993 applications. This overview will includemore » plant, scope, date of performance, system volume specal features of the process removed activities, decon factor time, waste volumes, and personnel dose during decontamination. This overview will be followed by an outlook on future developments in this area.« less

Decontamination and Management of Human Remains Following Incidents of Hazardous Chemical Release

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hauschild, Veronique; Watson, Annetta Paule; Bock, Robert Eldon

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective: To provide specific procedural guidance and resources for identification, assessment, control, and mitigation of compounds that may contaminate human remains resulting from chemical attack or release. Design: A detailed technical, policy, and regulatory review is summarized. Setting: Guidance is suitable for civilian or military settings where human remains potentially contaminated with hazardous chemicals may be present. Settings would include sites of transportation accidents, natural disasters, terrorist or military operations, mortuary affairs or medical examiner processing and decontamination points, and similar. Patients, Participants: While recommended procedures have not been validated with actual human remains, guidance has been developed frommore » data characterizing controlled experiments with fabrics, materiel, and laboratory animals. Main Outcome Measure(s): Presentation of logic and specific procedures for remains management, protection and decontamination of mortuary affairs personnel, as well as decision criteria for determining when remains are sufficiently decontaminated so as to pose no chemical health hazard. Results: Established procedures and existing equipment/materiel available for decontamination and verification provide appropriate and reasonable means to mitigate chemical hazards from remains. Extensive characterization of issues related to remains decontamination indicates that supra-lethal concentrations of liquid chemical warfare agent VX may prove difficult to decontaminate and verify in a timely fashion. Specialized personnel can and should be called upon to assist with monitoring necessary to clear decontaminated remains for transport and processing. Conclusions: Once appropriate decontamination and verification have been accomplished, normal procedures for remains processing and transport to the decedent s family and the continental United States can be followed.« less

Novel Laser Ablation Technology for Surface Decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Chung H.

2004-06-01

Laser ablation for surface cleaning has been pursued for the removal of paint on airplanes. It has also been pursued for the cleaning of semiconductor surfaces. However, all these approaches have been pursued by laser ablation in air. For highly contaminated surface, laser ablation in air can easily cause secondary contamination. Thus it is not suitable to apply to achieve surface decontamination for DOE facilities since many of these facilities have radioactive contaminants on the surface. Any secondary contamination will be a grave concern. The objective of this project is to develop a novel technology for laser ablation in liquidmore » for surface decontamination. It aims to achieve more efficient surface decontamination without secondary contamination and to evaluate the economic feasibility for large scale surface decontamination with laser ablation in liquid. When laser ablation is pursued in the solution, all the desorbed contaminants will be confined in liquid. The contaminants can be precipitated and subsequently contained in a small volume for disposal. It can reduce the risk of the decontamination workers. It can also reduce the volume of contaminants dramatically.« less

Pesticides water decontamination in oxygen-limited conditions.

PubMed

Suciu, Nicoleta Alina; Ferrari, Federico; Vasileiadis, Sotirios; Merli, Annalisa; Capri, Ettore; Trevisan, Marco

2013-01-01

This study was undertaken to develop a laboratory bioreactor, with a functioning principle similar with that of biobed systems but working in oxygen-limited conditions, suitable for decontaminating wastewater mixtures with pesticides. The system is composed by two cylindrical plastic containers. The first one, where the pesticides solution is collected, is open, whereas the second one, where the biomass is disposed, is closed. The pesticides solution was pumped at the biomass surface and subsequently recollected and disposed in the first container. Four pesticides with different physical-chemical characteristics were tested. The results obtained showed a relatively good capacity of the developed prototype to decontaminate waste water containing the mixture of pesticides. The time of the experiment, the number of cycles that the solution made in the system and the environmental temperature have a significantly influence for the decontamination of acetochlor and chlorpyrifos whereas for the decontamination of terbuthylazine and metalaxyl no significant influence was observed. Even if the present prototype could represent a valid solution to manage the water pesticides residues in a farm and to increase the confidence of bystanders and residents, the practical difficulties when replacing the biomass could represent a limit of the system.

Economic analysis of recycling contaminated concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephen, A.; Ayers, K.W.; Boren, J.K.

1997-02-01

Decontamination and Decommissioning activities in the DOE complex generate large volumes of radioactively contaminated and uncontaminated concrete. Currently, this concrete is usually decontaminated, the contaminated waste is disposed of in a LLW facility and the decontaminated concrete is placed in C&D landfills. A number of alternatives to this practice are available including recycling of the concrete. Cost estimates for six alternatives were developed using a spreadsheet model. The results of this analysis show that recycling alternatives are at least as economical as current practice.

Development of Nanocrystalline Zeolite Materials for the Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-17

phosphite (CH3O)2P(O)H or DMP. There is -40-20020406080100 In te ns ity ppm a) b) c) d) * ** ** ** * * 33 37 1225 9 Figure 6. 31P MAS NMR spectra...The main objective of this research is to use novel nanocrystalline zeolite materials synthesized in our laboratories for the decontamination of...nanocrystalline zeolite materials. In these studies, we have focused our attention on the decontamination of 2-CEES and DMMP, two simulants for mustard gas

Development of Novel Decontamination Techniques for Chemical Agents (GB, VX, HD) Contaminated Facilities. Phase II. Laboratory Evaluation of Novel Agent Decontamination Concepts

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-21

mild steel, unpainted mild steel, and porous (i.e., concrete and unglazed porcelain ) test coupons contaminated with agent to a hot-gas composition near...unpainted *’ mild steel, painted stainless steel, concrete, and unglazed porcelain * coupons contaminated with HD, GB, or VX. The detectable limit for the Sub...similar decontamination efficiency was observable in the concrete and unglazed porcelain tests for an initial dose level of 1.8 mg agent/g of material

MRSA decontamination using octenidine-based products.

PubMed

Danilevicius, Mindaugas; Juzéniené, Audra; Juzénaité-Karneckiené, Indré; Veršinina, Anželika

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are an increasing problem worldwide with a high risk of severe illness and mortality in hospitalised patients. Patients with chronic wounds are at particular risk of developing MRSA infections. As octenidine-based products have shown promising success in decontamination in the past, the aim of the present study was to determine its efficacy, safety, and tolerability in decontaminating hospitalised MRSA-positive patients. From 1 April 2011 until 9 November 2012, 36 patients were screened MRSA-positive at the Republican Vilnius University Hospital, Vilnius, Lithuania. At least three swab tests were performed for each patient to screen for MRSA, one from each nostril and one from the perineum. In patients with wounds, an additional swab was taken from the wound surface. In the affected patients octenidine-based products were used in one or two cycles of 7 days each. In addition, adverse events were recorded and the tolerability was assessed using a 4-point scale ranging from 'very good' to 'poor'. Complete decontamination was achieved in 24 patients (67%) following treatment with the octenidine-based products. None of the patients experienced side-effects or secondary symptoms such as skin irritation or allergic reactions during the course of the study. In addition, octenidine was very well tolerated in the majority of patients (n=31; 86%). The results demonstrate that octenidine-based products are highly efficient in the multifaceted decontamination of hospitalised MRSA-positive patients. Having a range of products that can be used for full body decontamination (including the scalp and nasal passages) is of particular significance when developing an MRSA decontamination protocol, as multiple parts of the body can be affected. Combined with a favourable safety and tolerability profile, octenidine-based products thus represent a good choice in multifaceted MRSA decontamination regimes, which are necessary to curb the increasing problem of severe infections.

Fighting Ebola with novel spore decontamination technologies for the military.

PubMed

Doona, Christopher J; Feeherry, Florence E; Kustin, Kenneth; Olinger, Gene G; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J; Leighton, Terrance

2015-01-01

Recently, global public health organizations such as Doctors without Borders (MSF), the World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health Canada, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. government developed and deployed Field Decontamination Kits (FDKs), a novel, lightweight, compact, reusable decontamination technology to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical devices at remote clinical sites lacking infra-structure in crisis-stricken regions of West Africa (medical waste materials are placed in bags and burned). The basis for effectuating sterilization with FDKs is chlorine dioxide (ClO2) produced from a patented invention developed by researchers at the US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center (NSRDEC) and commercialized as a dry mixed-chemical for bacterial spore decontamination. In fact, the NSRDEC research scientists developed an ensemble of ClO2 technologies designed for different applications in decontaminating fresh produce; food contact and handling surfaces; personal protective equipment; textiles used in clothing, uniforms, tents, and shelters; graywater recycling; airplanes; surgical instruments; and hard surfaces in latrines, laundries, and deployable medical facilities. These examples demonstrate the far-reaching impact, adaptability, and versatility of these innovative technologies. We present herein the unique attributes of NSRDEC's novel decontamination technologies and a Case Study of the development of FDKs that were deployed in West Africa by international public health organizations to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical equipment. FDKs use bacterial spores as indicators of sterility. We review the properties and structures of spores and the mechanisms of bacterial spore inactivation by ClO2. We also review mechanisms of bacterial spore inactivation by novel, emerging, and established non-thermal technologies for food preservation, such as high pressure processing, irradiation, cold plasma, and chemical sanitizers, using an array of Bacillus subtilis mutants to probe mechanisms of spore germination and inactivation. We employ techniques of high-resolution atomic force microscopy and phase contrast microscopy to examine the effects of γ-irradiation on bacterial spores of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus atrophaeus spp. and of ClO2 on B. subtilis spores, and present in detail assays using spore bio-indicators to ensure sterility when decontaminating with ClO2.

Fighting Ebola with novel spore decontamination technologies for the military

PubMed Central

Doona, Christopher J.; Feeherry, Florence E.; Kustin, Kenneth; Olinger, Gene G.; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J.; Leighton, Terrance

2015-01-01

Recently, global public health organizations such as Doctors without Borders (MSF), the World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health Canada, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. government developed and deployed Field Decontamination Kits (FDKs), a novel, lightweight, compact, reusable decontamination technology to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical devices at remote clinical sites lacking infra-structure in crisis-stricken regions of West Africa (medical waste materials are placed in bags and burned). The basis for effectuating sterilization with FDKs is chlorine dioxide (ClO2) produced from a patented invention developed by researchers at the US Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center (NSRDEC) and commercialized as a dry mixed-chemical for bacterial spore decontamination. In fact, the NSRDEC research scientists developed an ensemble of ClO2 technologies designed for different applications in decontaminating fresh produce; food contact and handling surfaces; personal protective equipment; textiles used in clothing, uniforms, tents, and shelters; graywater recycling; airplanes; surgical instruments; and hard surfaces in latrines, laundries, and deployable medical facilities. These examples demonstrate the far-reaching impact, adaptability, and versatility of these innovative technologies. We present herein the unique attributes of NSRDEC’s novel decontamination technologies and a Case Study of the development of FDKs that were deployed in West Africa by international public health organizations to sterilize Ebola-contaminated medical equipment. FDKs use bacterial spores as indicators of sterility. We review the properties and structures of spores and the mechanisms of bacterial spore inactivation by ClO2. We also review mechanisms of bacterial spore inactivation by novel, emerging, and established non-thermal technologies for food preservation, such as high pressure processing, irradiation, cold plasma, and chemical sanitizers, using an array of Bacillus subtilis mutants to probe mechanisms of spore germination and inactivation. We employ techniques of high-resolution atomic force microscopy and phase contrast microscopy to examine the effects of γ-irradiation on bacterial spores of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus atrophaeus spp. and of ClO2 on B. subtilis spores, and present in detail assays using spore bio-indicators to ensure sterility when decontaminating with ClO2. PMID:26322021

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rick Demmer; John Drake; Ryan James, PhD

Over the last 50 years, the study of radiological contamination and decontamination has expanded significantly. This paper addresses the mechanisms of radiological contamination that have been reported and then discusses which methods have recently been used during performance testing of several different decontamination technologies. About twenty years ago the Idaho Nuclear Technology Engineering Center (INTEC) at the INL began a search for decontamination processes which could minimize secondary waste. In order to test the effectiveness of these decontamination technologies, a new simulated contamination, termed SIMCON, was developed. SIMCON was designed to replicate the types of contamination found on stainless steel,more » spent fuel processing equipment. Ten years later, the INL began research into methods for simulating urban contamination resulting from a radiological dispersal device (RDD). This work was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and included the initial development an aqueous application of contaminant to substrate. Since 2007, research sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has advanced that effort and led to the development of a contamination method that simulates particulate fallout from an Improvised Nuclear Device (IND). The IND method diverges from previous efforts to create tenacious contamination by simulating a reproducible “loose” contamination. Examining these different types of contamination (and subsequent decontamination processes), which have included several different radionuclides and substrates, sheds light on contamination processes that occur throughout the nuclear industry and in the urban environment.« less

Multiple animal studies for medical chemical defense program in soldier/patient decontamination and drug development. Task order 85-10. Final report, 1 December 1984-1 April 1987

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joiner, R.L.; Harroff, H.H.; Snider, H.

1987-12-04

A rabbit model has been developed and validated for screening noninvasive candidate decontamination systems for their efficacies against topical exposure to the organophosphage chemical surety materiel (CSM), GD, polymer-thickened GD (TGD), and VX. CSM was applied to rabbits in groups of 8 on their clipped dorsa over a range of doses. Dose sites were decontaminated beginning 2 minutes after exposure with both components of the M258A1 standard field kit in the recommended sequence. Replicate LD50s were calculated for each CSM with probit analyses of the doses and lethality rates from replicate studies. A composite LD50 was calculated from the datamore » pooled across replicates for each CSM. The composite LD50 was validated for each CSM by comparing the lethality rate obtained in three replicates of 8 animals each with the population mean of 50 percent. The LD50 values obtained for the three CSM tested produced valid mortality ratios when compared to the population mean. Thus the screen is ready to test candidate decontamination systems. The screen compares the lethality rate obtained from 8 animals each dosed at the established M258A1 LD50 and decontaminated according to the manufacturer's instructions with a candidate system against the population mean of 50 percent. An M258A1-decontaminated control group of 8 animals is included to check for drift via a control chart method. Any candidate decontamination system that is as effective as or more effective than the dual-component M258A1 standard passes the screen and is a candidate for further testing.« less

DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC SOIL DECONTAMINATION (ESD) FOR IN-SITU APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The technical feasibility of electro-acoustic soil decontamination process through lab experiments demonstrated the removal/-concentration of heavy metals such as cadmium and zinc. Results of the decane contaminated soils were, however, inconclusive. The ESD process is based on t...

Minimal impact, waterless decontamination technologies for improving food safety

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pathogen contamination of produce, meats, poultry, shellfish, and other foods remains an ongoing concern. Chemical sanitizers are widely employed for foods and food contact surfaces. However, there is growing interest in the development of minimal impact, waterless decontamination processes that wil...

A decontamination system for chemical weapons agents using a liquid solution on a solid sorbent.

PubMed

Waysbort, Daniel; McGarvey, David J; Creasy, William R; Morrissey, Kevin M; Hendrickson, David M; Durst, H Dupont

2009-01-30

A decontamination system for chemical warfare agents was developed and tested that combines a liquid decontamination reagent solution with solid sorbent particles. The components have fewer safety and environmental concerns than traditional chlorine bleach-based products or highly caustic solutions. The liquid solution, based on Decon Greentrade mark, has hydrogen peroxide and a carbonate buffer as active ingredients. The best solid sorbents were found to be a copolymer of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and n-lauryl methacrylate (Polytrap 6603 Adsorber); or an allyl methacrylate cross-linked polymer (Poly-Pore E200 Adsorber). These solids are human and environmentally friendly and are commonly used in cosmetics. The decontaminant system was tested for reactivity with pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate (Soman, GD), bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide (Mustard, HD), and S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate (VX) by using NMR Spectroscopy. Molybdate ion (MoO(4)(-2)) was added to the decontaminant to catalyze the oxidation of HD. The molybdate ion provided a color change from pink to white when the oxidizing capacity of the system was exhausted. The decontaminant was effective for ratios of agent to decontaminant of up to 1:50 for VX (t(1/2) < or = 4 min), 1:10 for HD (t(1/2) < 2 min with molybdate), and 1:10 for GD (t(1/2) < 2 min). The vapor concentrations of GD above the dry sorbent and the sorbent with decontamination solution were measured to show that the sorbent decreased the vapor concentration of GD. The E200 sorbent had the additional advantage of absorbing aqueous decontamination solution without the addition of an organic co-solvent such as isopropanol, but the rate depended strongly on mixing for HD.

In-situ generation of chlorine dioxide for surface decontamination of produce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fruits and vegetables, particularly fresh-cut products, are frequently contaminated with bacterial pathogens and implicated in foodborne illnesses. The objective of this study was to develop a unique in-situ sequential surface decontamination method for produce using sodium chlorite and acid. The ...

Laser decontamination and decomposition of PCB-containing paint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthofer, A.; Kögler, P.; Friedrich, C.; Lippmann, W.; Hurtado, A.

2017-01-01

Decontamination of concrete surfaces contaminated with paint containing polychlorinated biphenyls is an elaborate and complex task that must be performed within the scope of nuclear power plant dismantling as well as conventional pollutant cleanup in buildings. The state of the art is mechanical decontamination, which generates dust as well as secondary waste and is both dangerous and physically demanding. Moreover, the ablated PCB-containing paint has to be treated in a separate process step. Laser technology offers a multitude of possibilities for contactless surface treatment with no restoring forces and a high potential for automation. An advanced experimental setup was developed for performing standard laser decontamination investigations on PCB-painted concrete surfaces. As tested with epoxy paints, a high-power diode laser with a laser power of 10 kW in continuous wave (CW) mode was implemented and resulted in decontamination of the concrete surfaces as well as significant PCB decomposition. The experimental results showed PCB removal of 96.8% from the concrete surface and PCB decomposition of 88.8% in the laser decontamination process. Significant PCDD/F formation was thereby avoided. A surface ablation rate of approx. 7.2 m2/h was realized.

Evidence-based patient decontamination: an integral component of mass exposure chemical incident planning and response.

PubMed

Leary, Adam D; Schwartz, Michael D; Kirk, Mark A; Ignacio, Joselito S; Wencil, Elaine B; Cibulsky, Susan M

2014-06-01

Decontaminating patients who have been exposed to hazardous chemicals can directly benefit the patients' health by saving lives and reducing the severity of toxicity. While the importance of decontaminating patients to prevent the spread of contamination has long been recognized, its role in improving patient health outcomes has not been as widely appreciated. Acute chemical toxicity may manifest rapidly-often minutes to hours after exposure. Patient decontamination and emergency medical treatment must be initiated as early as possible to terminate further exposure and treat the effects of the dose already absorbed. In a mass exposure chemical incident, responders and receivers are faced with the challenges of determining the type of care that each patient needs (including medical treatment, decontamination, and behavioral health support), providing that care within the effective window of time, and protecting themselves from harm. The US Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Homeland Security have led the development of national planning guidance for mass patient decontamination in a chemical incident to help local communities meet these multiple, time-sensitive health demands. This report summarizes the science on which the guidance is based and the principles that form the core of the updated approach.

Development of Novel Decontamination and Inerting Techniques for Explosive Contaminated Facilities, Laboratory Evaluation of Concepts. Phase II. Laboratory Evaluation of Novel Explosives Decontamination Concepts

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

gallons for Building 2. -... The system must be capable of wit standing caustic corrosion. • Either stainless steel or lined mild steel may be used. As...assumed that spent charcoal could be disposed in some safe manner arid would be re- placed as used. Additional costs were in luded for sampling and analysis...decontamination of all three explosives could be effected by further sequential treatment of the spent explosives decontami- nation solutions with acidic ferrous

Test methods and response surface models for hot, humid air decontamination of materials contaminated with dirty spores of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam.

PubMed

Buhr, T L; Young, A A; Barnette, H K; Minter, Z A; Kennihan, N L; Johnson, C A; Bohmke, M D; DePaola, M; Cora-Laó, M; Page, M A

2015-11-01

To develop test methods and evaluate survival of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne or Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam on materials contaminated with dirty spore preparations after exposure to hot, humid air using response surface modelling. Spores (>7 log10 ) were mixed with humic acid + spent sporulation medium (organic debris) or kaolin (dirt debris). Spore samples were then dried on five different test materials (wiring insulation, aircraft performance coating, anti-skid, polypropylene, and nylon). Inoculated materials were tested with 19 test combinations of temperature (55, 65, 75°C), relative humidity (70, 80, 90%) and time (1, 2, 3 days). The slowest spore inactivation kinetics was on nylon webbing and/or after addition of organic debris. Hot, humid air effectively decontaminates materials contaminated with dirty Bacillus spore preparations; debris and material interactions create complex decontamination kinetic patterns; and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam is a realistic surrogate for B. anthracis. Response surface models of hot, humid air decontamination were developed which may be used to select decontamination parameters for contamination scenarios including aircraft. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Health investigations of depleted-uranium clean-up workers.

PubMed

Milacic, Snezana

2008-01-01

The soil contaminated by depleted uranium (238U) ammunition during the NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro was cleaned-up for four months in 2002. A team of 11 clean-up workers (expert members) were medically examined three times: before decontamination as a preliminary medical check-up, immediately after decontamination, and four years after cleaning up contaminated ground. This short report presents investigations and health risk assessments of clean-up workers in radioactive decontamination operations and an assessment of the environmental health perspectives for citizens living in surrounding areas. The method of initial health disorders was used, analyzing the most sensitive biological materials, such as blood cells or chromosome damage, DNA strand breaks, radio-toxicological examination of urine. The total number of blood cells did not change, but variations of the relative number (percentage) of cells in the leukocyte formula were observed. The total number of DNA alterations was higher immediately after decontamination than before decontamination. Four years after decontamination the number of DNA alterations had decreased. However, the number of damaged cells (lymphocytes containing chromosome lesions) was higher in both medical examinations, immediately after and four years after decontamination. Disease or tumours due to 238U did not develop in the group of depleted uranium clean-up workers during the investigation period of four years. Further monitoring of haematological and chromosomal effects and the health condition of workers is necessary.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G. N. Doyle

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 254 is located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), approximately 100 kilometers (km) (62 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The site is located within the Reactor Maintenance, Assembly and Disassembly (R-MAD) compound and consists of Building 3126, two outdoor decontamination pads, and surrounding areas within an existing fenced area measuring approximately 50 x 37 meters (160 x 120 feet). The site was used from the early 1960s to the early 1970s as part of the Nuclear Rocket Development Station program to decontaminate test-car hardware and tooling. The site was reactivated in themore » early 1980s to decontaminate a radiologically contaminated military tank. This Closure Report (CR) describes the closure activities performed to allow un-restricted release of the R-MAD Decontamination Facility.« less

Physico-Chemical Dynamics of Nanoparticle Formation during Laser Decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, M.D.

2005-06-01

Laser-ablation based decontamination is a new and effective approach for simultaneous removal and characterization of contaminants from surfaces (e.g., building interior and exterior walls, ground floors, etc.). The scientific objectives of this research are to: (1) characterize particulate matter generated during the laser-ablation based decontamination, (2) develop a technique for simultaneous cleaning and spectroscopic verification, and (3) develop an empirical model for predicting particle generation for the size range from 10 nm to tens of micrometers. This research project provides fundamental data obtained through a systematic study on the particle generation mechanism, and also provides a working model for predictionmore » of particle generation such that an effective operational strategy can be devised to facilitate worker protection.« less

Industrial Technology of Decontamination of Liquid Radioactive Waste in SUE MosSIA 'Radon' - 12371

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adamovich, Dmitry V.; Neveykin, Petr P.; Karlin, Yuri V.

SUE MosSIA 'RADON' - this enterprise was created more than 50 years ago, which deals with the recycling of radioactive waste and conditioning of spent sources of radiation in stationary and mobile systems in the own factory and operating organizations. Here is represented the experience SUE MosSIA 'Radon' in the field of the management with liquid radioactive waste. It's shown, that the activity of SUE MosSIA 'RADON' is developing in three directions - improvement of technical facilities for treatment of radioactive waters into SUE MosSIA 'RADON' development of mobile equipment for the decontamination of radioactive waters in other organizations, developmentmore » of new technologies for decontamination of liquid radioactive wastes as part of various domestic Russian and international projects including those related to the operation of nuclear power and nuclear submarines. SUE MosSIA 'RADON' has processed more than 270 thousand m{sup 3} of radioactive water, at that more than 7000 m{sup 3} in other organizations for more than 50 years. It is shown that a number of directions, particularly, the development of mobile modular units for decontamination of liquid radioactive waste, SUE MosSIA 'RADON' is a leader in the world. (authors)« less

Nuclear decontamination technology evaluation to address contamination of a municipal water system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McFee, J.; Langsted, J.; Young, M.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are considering the impact and recovery from contamination of municipal water systems, including intentional contamination of those systems. Industrial chemicals, biological agents, drugs, pesticides, chemical warfare agents, and radionuclides all could be introduced into a municipal water system to create detrimental health effects and disrupt a community. Although unintentional, the 1993 cryptosporidium contamination of the Milwaukee WS water system resulted in 100 fatalities and disrupted the city for weeks. Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure Inc, (Shaw), as a subcontractor on a DHS contract with Michael Baker Jr., Inc.,more » was responsible for evaluation of the impact and recovery from radionuclide contamination in a municipal water system distribution system. Shaw was tasked to develop a matrix of nuclear industry decontamination technologies and evaluate applicability to municipal water systems. Shaw expanded the evaluation to include decontamination methods commonly used in the drinking water supply. The matrix compared all technologies for implementability, effectiveness, and cost. To address the very broad range of contaminants and contamination scenarios, Shaw bounded the problem by identification of specific contaminant release scenario(s) for specific water system architecture(s). A decontamination technology matrix was developed containing fifty-nine decontamination technologies potentially applicable to the water distribution system piping, pumps, tanks, associated equipment, and/or contaminated water. Qualitatively, the majority of the nuclear industry decontamination technologies were eliminated from consideration due to implementability concerns. However, inclusion of the municipal water system technologies supported recommendations that combined the most effective approaches in both industries. (authors)« less

Applying Crowd Psychology to Develop Recommendations for the Management of Mass Decontamination

PubMed Central

Drury, John; Rubin, G. James; Williams, Richard; Amlôt, Richard

2015-01-01

Mass decontamination is a public health intervention employed by emergency responders following a chemical, biological, or radiological release. It involves a crowd of people whose interactions with each other and with the emergency responders managing the incident are likely to affect the success of the decontamination process. The way in which members of the public collectively experience decontamination is likely to affect their behavior and hence is crucial to the success of the decontamination process. Consequently, responders and the responsible authorities need to understand crowd psychology during mass emergencies and disasters. Recently, the social identity approach to crowd psychology has been applied to explain public perceptions and behavior during mass emergencies. This approach emphasizes that crowd events are characteristically intergroup encounters, in which the behavior of one group can affect the perceptions and behavior of another. We summarize the results from a program of research in which the social identity approach was applied to develop and test recommendations for the management of mass decontamination. The findings from this program of research show that (1) responders' perceptions of crowd behavior matter; (2) participants value greater communication and this affects their compliance; and (3) social identity processes explain the relationship between effective responder communication and relevant outcome variables, such as public compliance, public cooperation, and public anxiety. Based on this program of research, we recommend 4 responder management strategies that focus on increasing public compliance, increasing orderly and cooperative behavior among members of the public, reducing public anxiety, and respecting public needs for privacy. PMID:25812428

Applying crowd psychology to develop recommendations for the management of mass decontamination.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Rubin, G James; Williams, Richard; Amlôt, Richard

2015-01-01

Mass decontamination is a public health intervention employed by emergency responders following a chemical, biological, or radiological release. It involves a crowd of people whose interactions with each other and with the emergency responders managing the incident are likely to affect the success of the decontamination process. The way in which members of the public collectively experience decontamination is likely to affect their behavior and hence is crucial to the success of the decontamination process. Consequently, responders and the responsible authorities need to understand crowd psychology during mass emergencies and disasters. Recently, the social identity approach to crowd psychology has been applied to explain public perceptions and behavior during mass emergencies. This approach emphasizes that crowd events are characteristically intergroup encounters, in which the behavior of one group can affect the perceptions and behavior of another. We summarize the results from a program of research in which the social identity approach was applied to develop and test recommendations for the management of mass decontamination. The findings from this program of research show that (1) responders' perceptions of crowd behavior matter; (2) participants value greater communication and this affects their compliance; and (3) social identity processes explain the relationship between effective responder communication and relevant outcome variables, such as public compliance, public cooperation, and public anxiety. Based on this program of research, we recommend 4 responder management strategies that focus on increasing public compliance, increasing orderly and cooperative behavior among members of the public, reducing public anxiety, and respecting public needs for privacy.

Fate of the chemical warfare agent O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX) on soil following accelerant-based fire and liquid decontamination.

PubMed

Gravett, M R; Hopkins, F B; Self, A J; Webb, A J; Timperley, C M; Riches, J R

2014-08-01

In the event of alleged use of organophosphorus nerve agents, all kinds of environmental samples can be received for analysis. These might include decontaminated and charred matter collected from the site of a suspected chemical attack. In other scenarios, such matter might be sampled to confirm the site of a chemical weapon test or clandestine laboratory decontaminated and burned to prevent discovery. To provide an analytical capability for these contingencies, we present a preliminary investigation of the effect of accelerant-based fire and liquid decontamination on soil contaminated with the nerve agent O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX). The objectives were (a) to determine if VX or its degradation products were detectable in soil after an accelerant-based fire promoted by aviation fuel, including following decontamination with Decontamination Solution 2 (DS2) or aqueous sodium hypochlorite, (b) to develop analytical methods to support forensic analysis of accelerant-soaked, decontaminated and charred soil and (c) to inform the design of future experiments of this type to improve analytical fidelity. Our results show for the first time that modern analytical techniques can be used to identify residual VX and its degradation products in contaminated soil after an accelerant-based fire and after chemical decontamination and then fire. Comparison of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiles of VX and its impurities/degradation products from contaminated burnt soil, and burnt soil spiked with VX, indicated that the fire resulted in the production of diethyl methylphosphonate and O,S-diethyl methylphosphonothiolate (by an unknown mechanism). Other products identified were indicative of chemical decontamination, and some of these provided evidence of the decontaminant used, for example, ethyl 2-methoxyethyl methylphosphonate and bis(2-methoxyethyl) methylphosphonate following decontamination with DS2. Sample preparation procedures and analytical methods suitable for investigating accelerant and decontaminant-soaked soil samples are presented. VX and its degradation products and/or impurities were detected under all the conditions studied, demonstrating that accelerant-based fire and liquid-based decontamination and then fire are unlikely to prevent the retrieval of evidence of chemical warfare agent (CWA) testing. This is the first published study of the effects of an accelerant-based fire on a CWA in environmental samples. The results will inform defence and security-based organisations worldwide and support the verification activities of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), winner of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.

Task 21 - Development of Systems Engineering Applications for Decontamination and Decommissioning Activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erickson, T.A.

1998-11-01

The objectives of this task are to: Develop a model (paper) to estimate the cost and waste generation of cleanup within the Environmental Management (EM) complex; Identify technologies applicable to decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) operations within the EM complex; Develop a database of facility information as linked to project baseline summaries (PBSs). The above objectives are carried out through the following four subtasks: Subtask 1--D and D Model Development, Subtask 2--Technology List; Subtask 3--Facility Database, and Subtask 4--Incorporation into a User Model.

Concrete decontamination by Electro-Hydraulic Scabbling (EHS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-11-01

EHS is being developed for decontaminating concrete structures from radionuclides, organic substances, and hazardous metals. EHS involves the generation of powerful shock waves and intense cavitation by a strong pulsed electric discharge in a water layer at the concrete surface; high impulse pressure results in stresses which crack and peel off a concrete layer of controllable thickness. Scabbling produces contaminated debris of relatively small volume which can be easily removed, leaving clean bulk concrete. Objective of Phase I was to prove the technical feasibility of EH for controlled scabbling and decontamination of concrete. Phase I is complete.

The Inventory of High-School Students' Recent Life Experiences: A Decontaminated Measure of Adolescents' Hassles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohn, Paul M.; Milrose, Jill A.

1993-01-01

A decontaminated measure of exposures to hassles for adolescents, the Inventory of High-School Students' Recent Life Experiences (IHSSRLE), was developed and validated with 94 male and 82 female Canadian high school students. The IHSSRLE shows adequate internal consistency reliability and validity against the criterion of subjectively appraised…

Understanding Contamination; Twenty Years of Simulating Radiological Contamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emily Snyder; John Drake; Ryan James

A wide variety of simulated contamination methods have been developed by researchers to reproducibly test radiological decontamination methods. Some twenty years ago a method of non-radioactive contamination simulation was proposed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) that mimicked the character of radioactive cesium and zirconium contamination on stainless steel. It involved baking the contamination into the surface of the stainless steel in order to 'fix' it into a tenacious, tightly bound oxide layer. This type of contamination was particularly applicable to nuclear processing facilities (and nuclear reactors) where oxide growth and exchange of radioactive materials within the oxide layer becamemore » the predominant model for material/contaminant interaction. Additional simulation methods and their empirically derived basis (from a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility) are discussed. In the last ten years the INL, working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC), has continued to develop contamination simulation methodologies. The most notable of these newer methodologies was developed to compare the efficacy of different decontamination technologies against radiological dispersal device (RDD, 'dirty bomb') type of contamination. There are many different scenarios for how RDD contamination may be spread, but the most commonly used one at the INL involves the dispersal of an aqueous solution containing radioactive Cs-137. This method was chosen during the DARPA projects and has continued through the NHSRC series of decontamination trials and also gives a tenacious 'fixed' contamination. Much has been learned about the interaction of cesium contamination with building materials, particularly concrete, throughout these tests. The effects of porosity, cation-exchange capacity of the material and the amount of dirt and debris on the surface are very important factors. The interaction of the contaminant/substrate with the particular decontamination technology is also very important. Results of decontamination testing from hundreds of contaminated coupons have lead to certain conclusions about the contamination and the type of decontamination methods being deployed. A recent addition to the DARPA initiated methodology simulates the deposition of nuclear fallout. This contamination differs from previous tests in that it has been developed and validated purely to simulate a 'loose' type of contamination. This may represent the first time that a radiologically contaminated 'fallout' stimulant has been developed to reproducibly test decontamination methods. While no contaminant/methodology may serve as a complete example of all aspects that could be seen in the field, the study of this family of simulation methods provides insight into the nature of radiological contamination.« less

Plasma Decontamination: A Case Study on Kill Efficacy of Geobacillus stearothermophilus Spores on Different Carrier Materials.

PubMed

Semmler, Egmont; Novak, Wenzel; Allinson, Wilf; Wallis, Darren; Wood, Nigel; Awakowicz, Peter; Wunderlich, Joachim

2016-01-01

A new technology to the pharmaceutical field is presented: surface decontamination by plasmas The technology is comparable to established barrier systems like e-beam, volatile hydrogen peroxide, or radiation inactivation of microbiological contaminations. This plasma technology is part of a fully automated and validated syringe filling line at a major pharmaceutical company and is in production operation. Incoming pre-sterilized syringe containers ("tubs") are processed by plasma, solely on the outside, and passed into the aseptic filling isolator upon successful decontamination. The objective of this article is to present the operating principles and develop and establish a validation routine on the basis of standard commercial biological indicators. Their decontamination efficacies are determined and correlated to the actual inactivation efficacy on the pharmaceutical packaging material.The reference setup is explained in detail and a short presentation of the cycle development and the relevant plasma control parameters is given, with a special focus on the in-process monitor determining the cycle validity. Different microbial inactivation mechanisms are also discussed and evaluated for their contribution and interaction to enhance plasma decontamination. A material-dependent inactivation behavior was observed. In order to be able to correlate the tub surface inactivation of Geobacillus stearothermophilus endospores to metallic biological indicators, a comparative study was performed. Through consistently demonstrating the linear inactivation behavior between the different materials, it becomes possible to develop an effective and time-saving validation scheme. The challenge in new decontamination systems lies in a thorough validation of the inactivation efficacy under different operating regimes. With plasma, as an ionized gas, a new barrier concept is introduced into pharmaceutical aseptic processing of syringes. The presented system operates in vacuum and only decontaminates the outer surface of pre-sterilized syringe containers ("tubs"), before they are transferred into the aseptic area. The plasma does not penetrate into the tub. This article discusses the phase from development and test germ selection, across the identified sporicidal mechanisms, to a proposal for a validation scheme on the basis of commercially available biological indicators. A special focus is placed on an extensive investigation to establish a link between the tub surface microbial kill (polystyrene and Tyvek(and (2)) ) and biological indicator inactivation (stainless steel). Additionally, a rationale is developed on how an optical in-process monitor can be applied to establish a validatable limit on the base of the predetermined inactivation data of Geobacillus stearothermophilus endospores. © PDA, Inc. 2016.

PEROXIDE-INHIBITED DECONTAMINATION SOLUTIONS FOR CARBON STEEL AND OTHER METALS IN THE GAS-COOLED REACTOR PROGRAM. Progress Report, November 1959-July 1962

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meservey, A.B.

1963-01-01

A search for solutions suitable for dissolving uranium dioxide powder or lumps and yet noncorrosive enough to be used for decontaminating the carbon steel EGCR charge and service machines resulted in the development of buffered oxalate solutions of controlled temperature and pH, with hydrogen peroxide added to act as corrosion inhibitor, UO/sub 2/ oxidizer, and decontamination aid. Hydrogen peroxide acts either as a corrosion promoter or inhibitor, depending on factors such as its concentration, the ratio to other ingredients, acidity, temperature, the presence of complexing agents, and the ferric ion content of the solution. In general, oxalate-peroxide solutions for fissionmore » product decontamination from metal surfaces were superior to more conventional decontaminating solutions and had attractively low corrosion rates on carbon steel (less than 0.01 mil/hr), Solution instability, initially a serious drawback, was largely overcome. Of nearly a hundred formulations studied, the one having the best combination of long life, low corrosivity, high solvency for UO/sub 2/, decontamination power, safety, and ease of waste disposal was an aqueous solution of 0.4M oxalic acid, 0.18M ammonium citrate, and 0.34M H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, adjusted to pH 4.00 with ammonium hydroxide and used at 85 to 95 deg C. Similar solutions at lower pH, with increased H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ concentration to maintain noncorrosiveness, were successful decontaminants at 60 deg C when contact times were increased to several hours. Contaminated stainless steels heated to 500 deg C in helium resisted decontamination in noncorrosive reagents. Oxalate-peroxide soluttons are currently recommended as UO/sub 2/ solvents and as general decontaminants for mild steel and aluminum surfaces in the GCR program, and for stainless steels which were not strongly heated while contaminated. These solutions may also find application in the decontamination of metals used in the aqueous reprocessing of radioactive nuclear fuels. (auth)« less

Efficacy of scalp hair decontamination following exposure to vapours of sulphur mustard simulants 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide and methyl salicylate.

PubMed

Spiandore, Marie; Piram, Anne; Lacoste, Alexandre; Prevost, Philippe; Maloni, Pascal; Torre, Franck; Asia, Laurence; Josse, Denis; Doumenq, Pierre

2017-04-01

Chemical warfare agents are an actual threat and victims' decontamination is a main concern when mass exposure occurs. Skin decontamination with current protocols has been widely documented, as well as surface decontamination. However, considering hair ability to trap chemicals in vapour phase, we investigated hair decontamination after exposure to sulphur mustard simulants methyl salicylate and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide. Four decontamination protocols were tested on hair, combining showering and emergency decontamination (use of Fuller's earth or Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion RSDL ® ). Both simulants were recovered from hair after treatment, but contents were significantly reduced (42-85% content allowance). Showering alone was the least efficient protocol. Concerning 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide, protocols did not display significant differences in decontamination efficacy. For MeS, use of emergency decontaminants significantly increased showering efficacy (10-20% rise), underlining their usefulness before thorough decontamination. Our results highlighted the need to extensively decontaminate hair after chemical exposure. Residual amounts after decontamination are challenging, as their release from hair could lead to health issues. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of the PotoClean® decontamination technology for reprocessing of water supply lines in dental units during routine work

PubMed Central

Kramer, Axel; Koburger, Torsten; Taube, Lisa-Dorothea; Menzel, Michael; Meyer, Georg; Assadian, Ojan

2012-01-01

Background: A frequent problem in dental units is the microbial contamination of water and biofilm formation in the water supply lines. After random identification of a bacterial contaminated dental unit (310 cfu/ml) in a practise with 3 dental units we implemented the present study to evaluate the efficacy of the PotoClean® technology, based on anodic oxidation. Method: The efficacy of a regular low concentrated permanent decontamination (1 mg Cl/L) with an additional intensive decontamination by PotoClean® (three times 20 mg Cl/ml for 2 h) on three dental units was tested over 7 months. Microbial contamination, total chlorine concentration and redox potential have been analyzed. Dental unit A and B was 15 years old, unit C 5 years. Results: After 3 intensive decontaminations, in dental unit A and B the number of bacteria and moulds could be reduced less than 7 d. Thereafter the bacteria counts increased again during the subsequent 7 month period and the amount of moulds was with some exceptions 300 cfu/ml, although PotoClean® was constantly added in the system (1 mg Cl/L). After further 7.5 month only with low concentrated permanent disinfection (1 mg Cl/L) both units were successful decontaminated. Dental unit C represented an object which was easier to decontaminate because of the advanced construction (prevention of water stagnation) and the shorter useful life. At the beginning of the decontamination it was no bacterial contamination, but moulds were contained (300 cfu/ml). Already after the first intensive decontamination, no further bacteria and moulds could be detected. Discussion: An important factor for the efficacy of PotoClean® was the age of the units and their construction. For a new generation of dental units PotoClean® was effective during the whole period of monitoring. For two old types of dental unit with massive biofilm development the successful decontamination needed more than 7 month. Conclusion: The PotoClean® technology has resulted in even old-type turbines with intensive biofilm formation to complete decontamination. In a recent turbine design already after the first intensive decontamination with PotoClean® and its continuous use (1 mg Cl/L) no more contamination by bacteria and moulds were detectable. PMID:22558044

Evaluation of the PotoClean(®) decontamination technology for reprocessing of water supply lines in dental units during routine work.

PubMed

Kramer, Axel; Koburger, Torsten; Taube, Lisa-Dorothea; Menzel, Michael; Meyer, Georg; Assadian, Ojan

2012-01-01

A frequent problem in dental units is the microbial contamination of water and biofilm formation in the water supply lines. After random identification of a bacterial contaminated dental unit (310 cfu/ml) in a practise with 3 dental units we implemented the present study to evaluate the efficacy of the PotoClean(®) technology, based on anodic oxidation. The efficacy of a regular low concentrated permanent decontamination (1 mg Cl/L) with an additional intensive decontamination by PotoClean(®) (three times 20 mg Cl/ml for 2 h) on three dental units was tested over 7 months. Microbial contamination, total chlorine concentration and redox potential have been analyzed. Dental unit A and B was 15 years old, unit C 5 years. After 3 intensive decontaminations, in dental unit A and B the number of bacteria and moulds could be reduced less than 7 d. Thereafter the bacteria counts increased again during the subsequent 7 month period and the amount of moulds was with some exceptions 300 cfu/ml, although PotoClean(®) was constantly added in the system (1 mg Cl/L). After further 7.5 month only with low concentrated permanent disinfection (1 mg Cl/L) both units were successful decontaminated. Dental unit C represented an object which was easier to decontaminate because of the advanced construction (prevention of water stagnation) and the shorter useful life. At the beginning of the decontamination it was no bacterial contamination, but moulds were contained (300 cfu/ml). Already after the first intensive decontamination, no further bacteria and moulds could be detected. An important factor for the efficacy of PotoClean(®) was the age of the units and their construction. For a new generation of dental units PotoClean(®) was effective during the whole period of monitoring. For two old types of dental unit with massive biofilm development the successful decontamination needed more than 7 month. The PotoClean(®) technology has resulted in even old-type turbines with intensive biofilm formation to complete decontamination. In a recent turbine design already after the first intensive decontamination with PotoClean(®) and its continuous use (1 mg Cl/L) no more contamination by bacteria and moulds were detectable.

Effect of a preoperative decontamination protocol on surgical site infections in patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery with hardware implantation.

PubMed

Bebko, Serge P; Green, David M; Awad, Samir S

2015-05-01

Surgical site infections (SSIs), commonly caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, specifically when hardware is implanted in the patient. Previously, we have demonstrated that a preoperative decontamination protocol using chlorhexidine gluconate washcloths and intranasal antiseptic ointment is effective in eradicating MRSA in the nose and on the skin of patients. To examine the effect of a decontamination protocol on SSIs in patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery with hardware implantation. A prospective database of patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery with hardware implantation at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, was analyzed from October 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013. Cohort groups before and after the intervention were compared. Starting in May 2013, during their preoperative visit, all of the patients watched an educational video about MRSA decontamination and were given chlorhexidine washcloths and oral rinse and nasal povidone-iodine solution to be used the night before and the morning of scheduled surgery. Thirty-day SSI rates were collected according to the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance. Data on demographics, comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary artery disease, tobacco use, alcohol use, and body mass index were also collected. Univariate analysis was performed between the 2 groups of patients. Multivariate analysis was used to identify independent predictors of SSI. A total of 709 patients were analyzed (344 controls and 365 patients who were decolonized). Both groups were well matched with no significant differences in age, body mass index, sex, or comorbidities. All of the patients (100%) completed the MRSA decontamination protocol. The SSI rate in the intervention group was significantly lower (1.1%; 4 of 365 patients developed an SSI) than the SSI rate in the control group (3.8%; 13 of 344 patients developed an SSI) (P = .02). Multivariate logistic regression identified MRSA decontamination as an independent predictor of not developing an SSI (adjusted odds ratio, 0.24 [95% CI, 0.08-0.77]; P = .02). Our study demonstrates that preoperative MRSA decontamination with chlorhexidine washcloths and oral rinse and intranasal povidone-iodine decreased the SSI rate by more than 50% among patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery with hardware implantation. Universal decontamination using this low-cost protocol may be considered as an additional prevention strategy for SSIs in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery with hardware implantation and warrants further study.

Frequency of Hand Decontamination of Intraoperative Providers and Reduction of Postoperative Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Randomized Clinical Trial of a Novel Hand Hygiene System.

PubMed

Koff, Matthew D; Brown, Jeremiah R; Marshall, Emily J; O'Malley, A James; Jensen, Jens T; Heard, Stephen O; Longtine, Karen; O'Neill, Melissa; Longtine, Jaclyn; Houston, Donna; Robison, Cindy; Moulton, Eric; Patel, Hetal M; Loftus, Randy W

2016-08-01

BACKGROUND Healthcare provider hands are an important source of intraoperative bacterial transmission events associated with postoperative infection development. OBJECTIVE To explore the efficacy of a novel hand hygiene improvement system leveraging provider proximity and individual and group performance feedback in reducing 30-day postoperative healthcare-associated infections via increased provider hourly hand decontamination events. DESIGN Randomized, prospective study. SETTING Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Massachusetts. PATIENTS Patients undergoing surgery. METHODS Operating room environments were randomly assigned to usual intraoperative hand hygiene or to a personalized, body-worn hand hygiene system. Anesthesia and circulating nurse provider hourly hand decontamination events were continuously monitored and reported. All patients were followed prospectively for the development of 30-day postoperative healthcare-associated infections. RESULTS A total of 3,256 operating room environments and patients (1,620 control and 1,636 treatment) were enrolled. The mean (SD) provider hand decontamination event rate achieved was 4.3 (2.9) events per hour, an approximate 8-fold increase in hand decontamination events above that of conventional wall-mounted devices (0.57 events/hour); P<.001. Use of the hand hygiene system was not associated with a reduction in healthcare-associated infections (odds ratio, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.82-1.40], P=.626). CONCLUSIONS The hand hygiene system evaluated in this study increased the frequency of hand decontamination events without reducing 30-day postoperative healthcare-associated infections. Future work is indicated to optimize the efficacy of this hand hygiene improvement strategy. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:888-895.

Decontamination Technologies, Task 3, Urban Remediation and Response Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heiser,J.; Sullivan, T.

In the aftermath of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD, also known as a dirty bomb) it will be necessary to remediate the site including building exteriors and interiors, equipment, pavement, vehicles, personal items etc. Remediation will remove or reduce radioactive contamination from the area using a combination of removing and disposing of many assets (including possible demolition of buildings), decontaminating and returning to service other assets, and fixing in place or leaving in place contamination that is deemed 'acceptable'. The later will require setting acceptable dose standards, which will require negotiation with all involved parties and a balance of riskmore » and cost to benefit. To accomplish the first two, disposal or decontamination, a combination of technologies will be deployed that can be loosely classified as: Decontamination; Equipment removal and size reduction; and Demolition. This report will deal only with the decontamination technologies that will be used to return assets to service or to reduce waste disposal. It will not discuss demolition, size reduction or removal technologies or equipment (e.g., backhoe mounted rams, rock splitter, paving breakers and chipping hammers, etc.). As defined by the DOE (1994), decontamination is removal of radiological contamination from the surfaces of facilities and equipment. Expertise in this field comes primarily from the operation and decommissioning of DOE and commercial nuclear facilities as well as a small amount of ongoing research and development closely related to RDD decontamination. Information related to decontamination of fields, buildings, and public spaces resulting from the Goiania and Chernobyl incidents were also reviewed and provide some meaningful insight into decontamination at major urban areas. In order to proceed with decontamination, the item being processed needs to have an intrinsic value that exceeds the cost of the cleaning and justifies the exposure of any workers during the decontamination process(es). In the case of an entire building, the value may be obvious; it's costly to replace the structure. For a smaller item such as a vehicle or painting, the cost versus benefit of decontamination needs to be evaluated. This will be determined on a case by case basis and again is beyond the scope of this report, although some thoughts on decontamination of unique, personal and high value items are given. But, this is clearly an area that starting discussions and negotiations early on will greatly benefit both the economics and timeliness of the clean up. In addition, high value assets might benefit from pre-event protection such as protective coatings or HEPA filtered rooms to prevent contaminated outside air from entering the room (e.g., an art museum).« less

Clinical aspects of percutaneous poisoning by the chemical warfare agent VX: effects of application site and decontamination.

PubMed

Hamilton, Murray G; Hill, Ira; Conley, John; Sawyer, Thomas W; Caneva, Duane C; Lundy, Paul M

2004-11-01

O-ethyl S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate (VX) is an extremely toxic organophosphate nerve agent that has been weaponized and stockpiled in a number of different countries, and it has been used in recent terrorist events. It differs from other well-known organophosphate nerve agents in that its primary use is as a contact poison rather than as an inhalation hazard. For this reason, we examined the effects of application site and skin decontamination on VX toxicity in anesthetized domestic swine after topical application. VX applied to the surface of the ear rapidly resulted in signs of toxicity consistent with the development of cholinergic crisis, including apnea and death. VX on the epigastrium resulted in a marked delayed development of toxic signs, reduced toxicity, and reduction in the rate of cholinesterase depression compared with animals exposed on the ear. Skin decontamination (15 minutes post-VX on the ear) arrested the development of clinical signs and prevented further cholinesterase inhibition and death. These results confirm earlier work that demonstrates the importance of exposure site on the resultant toxicity of this agent and they also show that decontamination postexposure has the potential to be an integral and extremely important component of medical countermeasures against this agent.

French Atomic Energy Commission Decommissioning Programme and Feedback Experience - 12230

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guiberteau, Ph.; Nokhamzon, J.G.

Since the French Atomic and Alternatives Energy Commission (CEA) was founded in 1945 to carry out research programmes on use of nuclear, and its application France has set up and run various types of installations: research or prototypes reactors, process study or examination laboratories, pilot installations, accelerators, nuclear power plants and processing facilities. Some of these are currently being dismantled or must be dismantled soon so that the DEN, the Nuclear Energy Division, can construct new equipment and thus have available a range of R and D facilities in line with the issues of the nuclear industry of the future.more » Since the 1960's and 1970's in all its centres, the CEA has acquired experience and know-how through dismantling various nuclear facilities. The dismantling techniques are nowadays operational, even if sometimes certain specific developments are necessary to reduce the cost of operations. Thanks to availability of techniques and guarantees of dismantling programme financing now from two dedicated funds, close to euro 15,000 M for the next thirty years, for current or projected dismantling operations, the CEA's Nuclear Energy Division has been able to develop, when necessary, its immediate dismantling strategy. Currently, nearly thirty facilities are being dismantled by the CEA's Nuclear Energy Division operational units with industrial partners. Thus the next decade will see completion of the dismantling and radioactive clean-up of the Grenoble site and of the facilities on the Fontenay-aux-Roses site. By 2016, the dismantling of the UP1 plant at Marcoule, the largest dismantling work in France, will be well advanced, with all the process equipment dismantled. After an overview of the French regulatory framework, the paper will describe the DD and R (Decontamination Decommissioning and Remediation) strategy, programme and feedback experience inside the CEA's Nuclear Energy Division. A special feature of dismantling operations at the CEA comes from the diversity of facilities to be dismantled, which are predominantly research facilities and therefore have no series advantage. There is tremendous operating feedback, however. For more than twenty years in all its centres, the CEA has acquired experience and know-how through dismantling research reactors or critical models and laboratories or plants. The dismantling techniques are nowadays operational, even if sometimes certain specific developments are necessary to reduce the cost of operations. Thanks to availability of techniques and guarantees of dismantling programme financing from two dedicated funds, close to euro 15,000 Millions for the next thirty years, for current or projected dismantling operations, the Nuclear Energy Division has been able to develop, when necessary, its immediate dismantling strategy. Currently, nearly thirty facilities are being dismantled by the CEA's Nuclear Energy Division operational units with industrial partners. Thus the next decade will see completion of the dismantling and radioactive clean-up of the Grenoble site and of the facilities on the Fontenay-aux-Roses site. By 2020, the dismantling of the UP1 plant at Marcoule, one of the largest dismantling works in the world, will be well advanced, with all the process equipment dismantled. (authors)« less

Dwell time considerations for large area cold plasma decontamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konesky, Gregory

2009-05-01

Atmospheric discharge cold plasmas have been shown to be effective in the reduction of pathogenic bacteria and spores and in the decontamination of simulated chemical warfare agents, without the generation of toxic or harmful by-products. Cold plasmas may also be useful in assisting cleanup of radiological "dirty bombs." For practical applications in realistic scenarios, the plasma applicator must have both a large area of coverage, and a reasonably short dwell time. However, the literature contains a wide range of reported dwell times, from a few seconds to several minutes, needed to achieve a given level of reduction. This is largely due to different experimental conditions, and especially, different methods of generating the decontaminating plasma. We consider these different approaches and attempt to draw equivalencies among them, and use this to develop requirements for a practical, field-deployable plasma decontamination system. A plasma applicator with 12 square inches area and integral high voltage, high frequency generator is described.

Excimer laser decontamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sentis, Marc L.; Delaporte, Philippe C.; Marine, Wladimir; Uteza, Olivier P.

2000-04-01

The application of excimer laser ablation process to the decontamination of radioactive surfaces is discussed. This technology is very attractive because it allows to efficiently remove the contaminated particles without secondary waste production. To demonstrate the capability of such technology to efficiently decontaminate large area, we studied and developed a prototype which include a XeCl laser, an optical fiber delivery system and an ablated particles collection cell. The main physical processes taking place during UV laser ablation will be explained. The influence of laser wavelength, pulse duration and absorption coefficient of material will be discussed. Special studies have been performed to understand the processes which limit the transmission of high average power excimer laser through optical fiber, and to determine the laser conditions to optimize the value of this transmission. An in-situ spectroscopic analysis of laser ablation plasma allows the real time control of the decontamination. The results obtained for painting or metallic oxides removal from stainless steel surfaces will be presented.

Showering effectiveness for human hair decontamination of the nerve agent VX.

PubMed

Josse, Denis; Wartelle, Julien; Cruz, Catherine

2015-05-05

In this work, our goals were to establish whether hair decontamination by showering one hour post-exposure to the highly toxic organophosphate nerve agent VX was effective, whether it required the addition of a detergent to water and, if it could be improved by using the adsorbent Fuller's Earth (FE) or the Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) 30 min prior to showering. Hair exposure to VX and decontamination was performed by using an in vitro model. Hair showering led to 72% reduction of contamination. Addition of detergent to water slightly increased the decontamination effectiveness. Hair treatment with FE or RSDL improved the decontamination rate. Combination of FE use and showering, which yielded a decontamination factor of 41, was demonstrated to be the most effective hair decontamination procedure. Hair wiping after showering was shown to contribute to hair decontamination. Altogether, our results highlighted the importance of considering hair decontamination as an important part of body surface decontamination protocols. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost and Effectiveness of Decontamination Strategies in Radiation Contaminated Areas in Fukushima in Regard to External Radiation Dose

PubMed Central

Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Naito, Wataru; Nakanishi, Junko

2013-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose. A geographical information system (GIS) was used to relate the predicted external dose in the affected areas to the number of potential inhabitants and the land use in the areas. A comprehensive review of the costs of various decontamination methods was conducted as part of the analysis. The results indicate that aerial decontamination in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima would be effective for reducing the air dose rate to the target level in a short period of time in some but not all of the areas. In a standard scenario, analysis of cost and effectiveness suggests that decontamination costs for agricultural areas account for approximately 80% of the total decontamination cost, of which approximately 60% is associated with storage. In addition, the costs of decontamination per person per unit area are estimated to vary greatly. Appropriate selection of decontamination methods may significantly decrease decontamination costs, allowing more meaningful decontamination in terms of the limited budget. Our analysis can help in examining the prioritization of decontamination areas from the viewpoints of cost and effectiveness in reducing the external dose. Decontamination strategies should be determined according to air dose rates and future land-use plans. PMID:24069398

Cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in radiation contaminated areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose.

PubMed

Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Naito, Wataru; Nakanishi, Junko

2013-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose. A geographical information system (GIS) was used to relate the predicted external dose in the affected areas to the number of potential inhabitants and the land use in the areas. A comprehensive review of the costs of various decontamination methods was conducted as part of the analysis. The results indicate that aerial decontamination in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima would be effective for reducing the air dose rate to the target level in a short period of time in some but not all of the areas. In a standard scenario, analysis of cost and effectiveness suggests that decontamination costs for agricultural areas account for approximately 80% of the total decontamination cost, of which approximately 60% is associated with storage. In addition, the costs of decontamination per person per unit area are estimated to vary greatly. Appropriate selection of decontamination methods may significantly decrease decontamination costs, allowing more meaningful decontamination in terms of the limited budget. Our analysis can help in examining the prioritization of decontamination areas from the viewpoints of cost and effectiveness in reducing the external dose. Decontamination strategies should be determined according to air dose rates and future land-use plans.

Development of practical decontamination process for the removal of uranium from gravel.

PubMed

Kim, Ilgook; Kim, Gye-Nam; Kim, Seung-Soo; Choi, Jong-Won

2018-01-01

In this study, a practical decontamination process was developed to remove uranium from gravel using a soil washing method. The effects of critical parameters including particle size, H 2 SO 4 concentration, temperature, and reaction time on uranium removal were evaluated. The optimal condition for two-stage washing of gravel was found to be particle size of 1-2 mm, 1.0 M H 2 SO 4 , temperature of 60°C, and reaction time of 3 h, which satisfied the required uranium concentration for self-disposal. Furthermore, most of the extracted uranium was removed from the waste solution by precipitation, implying that the treated solution can be reused as washing solution. These results clearly demonstrated that our proposed process can be indeed a practical technique to decontaminate uranium-polluted gravel.

[Decontamination of organophosphorus compounds: Towards new alternatives].

PubMed

Poirier, L; Jacquet, P; Elias, M; Daudé, D; Chabrière, E

2017-05-01

Organophosphorus coumpounds (OP) are toxic chemicals mainly used for agricultural purpose such as insecticides and were also developed and used as warfare nerve agents. OP are inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, a key enzyme involved in the regulation of the central nervous system. Chemical, physical and biological approaches have been considered to decontaminate OP. This review summarizes the current and emerging strategies that are investigated to tackle this issue with a special emphasis on enzymatic remediation methods. During the last decade, many studies have been dedicated to the development of biocatalysts for OP removal. Among these, recent reports have pointed out the promising enzyme SsoPox isolated from the archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus. Considering both its intrinsic stability and activity, this hyperthermostable enzyme is highly appealing for the decontamination of OP. Copyright © 2017 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. All rights reserved.

Measurement of internal radiation exposure among decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nihei, Masahiko; Sato, Katsumi; Masaki, Shin; Sakuma, Yu; Kato, Shigeaki; Sugimoto, Amina; Nomura, Shuhei; Matsumura, Tomoko; Miyazaki, Makoto; Hayano, Ryugo; Shibuya, Kenji; Kami, Masahiro; Sasaki, Taro

2013-10-01

Decontamination workers may face a high risk of exposure to internal irradiation through inhalation during decontamination activities; there is, however, little previous research on the levels of internal contamination during decontamination procedures. The authors reviewed the medical records, including whole body counter measurements, of decontamination workers in villages near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to assess their levels of internal radiation exposure. In total, 83 decontamination workers were enrolled in this study. They were regularly engaged in decontamination activities in highly contaminated areas where surface 137Cs deposition density was over 100 kBq m-2. The present study showed low levels of internal exposure among the decontamination workers near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The cesium burdens of all the decontamination workers were below detection limits. They had reported no acute health problems. The resuspension of radioactive materials may cause minimal internal contamination during decontamination activities.

Lessons Learned from Decontamination Experiences

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sorensen, JH

2000-11-16

This interim report describes a DOE project currently underway to establish what is known about decontamination of buildings and people and the procedures and protocols used to determine when and how people or buildings are considered ''clean'' following decontamination. To fulfill this objective, the study systematically examined reported decontamination experiences to determine what procedures and protocols are currently employed for decontamination, the timeframe involved to initiate and complete the decontamination process, how the contaminants were identified, the problems encountered during the decontamination process, how response efforts of agencies were coordinated, and the perceived social psychological effects on people who weremore » decontaminated or who participated in the decontamination process. Findings and recommendations from the study are intended to aid decision-making and to improve the basis for determining appropriate decontamination protocols for recovery planners and policy makers for responding to chemical and biological events.« less

A Rapid and Inexpensive Bioassay to Evaluate the Decontamination of Organophosphates

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

weather natu- rally over time. Actual chemical degradation of the tox- in often relied on harsh chemicals such as calcium oxide and chlorine dioxide...New decontaminating compounds have been developed that are more effective or more en- vironmentally friendly, including organophosphorous acid ...quires sophisticated instrumental analytical techniques such as liquid or gas chromatography, which involves expensive equipment and trained personnel

Improved Logistics for Chemical and Biologics Decontamination for Deployed Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

Inc Honolulu, HI 96826 REPORT DATE : July 2012 TYPE OF REPORT: Annual...1. REPORT DATE July 19, 2012 2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED June 20 th , 2011 – June 19 th , 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Improved...research performed so far, that it is quite possible to develop a decontamination system effective against CWA, BWA, Radioisotopes , TICs, TIMs while

Chemical and Biological Substances Decontamination Study for Mars Missions and Terrestrial Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pottage, Thomas; Walker, James; Bennett, Allan; Vrublevskis, John; Hovland, Scott

This study, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and undertaken by the Health Protec-tion Agency, UK supported by Systems Engineering and Assessment Ltd., was devised to select suitable current decontamination technologies for development for future manned missions to the Moon and Mars. There is a requirement to decontaminate the habitat module due to the concerns about astronaut ill health, microbial deterioration of materials and potential forward contamination in the case of Mars. In the case of the MIR space station, biodeterioration of components and materials occurred, and dangerous levels of airborne microorganisms were detected during air sampling procedures which lead to the introduction of microbial exposure limits (as MORD SSP 50260) to ensure the health of the crew. COSPAR planetary protection guidelines highlight the need to reduce any potential forward or backwards contamination issues that may occur through the use of Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits whilst on Mars. Decontamination of the suit exterior must be completed before any EVA activity on Mars, whilst a further decontamination cycle must be completed after entry to the airlock following EVA. Technologies and techniques have also been investigated for the microbial reduction of the interior surfaces of the EVA suit to stop biodeterioration of the materials and protect the user from pathogenic microbe accumulation. The first work package reviewed the systems description and requirements as detailed in the statement of work. The requirements were broken down into 12 further requirement sections, where they were updated and expanded, resulted in Technical Note (TN) 1 which was then used as the base document for WP2 and WP3. WP2 investigated the current technologies available for the decontamination of the habitat module interior on missions of up to 6 months and missions that have durations of greater than 6 months. A comprehensive review was carried out for the different methods that could be employed singularly and in combination to decontaminate the habitat. From this review a trade off matrix was compiled scoring each technology on a determined set of parameters. The highest score indicated the most suitable technology. For missions up to 6 months surface cleaning using disinfectant wipes were recommended in combination with an air disinfection/filtration system. For missions greater than 6 months these techniques would be complemented by the addition of a gaseous decontamination system, which could be periodically used to reduce microbial load from inaccessible surfaces. WP3 reviewed the current technologies that could be used for the decontamination of the EVA suit, both external surfaces (after use on the Lunar and Martian surfaces) and internal surfaces. Trade off matrices were constructed to reflect the new parameters for these uses. Only physical decontamination of the exterior surface of the EVA suit is needed for Lunar mission, but for Martian missions this must be enhanced with a gaseous disinfection technology. The interior of the suit can be decontaminated using passive antimicrobial fabrics and active cleaning using disinfectant wipes. WP4 summarised the previous TNs, and included estimates of costs and timelines for the development, based on technology readiness levels, of technologies that need to be flight proven before use on a mission.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vogt

This report describes a U.S. Department of Energy, (DOE) Chemical and Biological National Security Program project that sought to establish what is known about decontamination of structures, objects, and people following an exposure to chemical or biological materials. Specifically we sought to identify the procedures and protocols used to determine when and how people or buildings are considered ''clean'' following decontamination. To fulfill this objective, the study systematically examined reported decontamination experiences to determine what procedures and protocols are currently employed for decontamination, the timeframe involved to initiate and complete the decontamination process, how the contaminants were identified, the factorsmore » determining when people were (or were not) decontaminated, the problems encountered during the decontamination process, how response efforts of agencies were coordinated, and the perceived social psychological effects on people who were decontaminated or who participated in the decontamination process. Findings and recommendations from the study are intended to aid decision-making and to improve the basis for determining appropriate decontamination protocols for recovery planners and policy makers for responding to chemical and biological events.« less

Mass Casualty Decontamination in the United States: An Online Survey of Current Practice

PubMed Central

Power, Sarah; Symons, Charles; Carter, Holly; Jones, Emma; Larner, Joanne; Matar, Hazem; Chilcott, Robert P.

2016-01-01

Mass casualty decontamination is a public health intervention that would be employed by emergency responders following a chemical, biological, or radiological incident. The decontamination of large numbers of casualties is currently most often performed with water to remove contaminants from the skin surface. An online survey was conducted to explore US fire departments' decontamination practices and their preparedness for responding to incidents involving mass casualty decontamination. Survey respondents were asked to provide details of various aspects of their decontamination procedures, including expected response times to reach casualties, disrobing procedures, approaches to decontamination, characteristics of the decontamination showering process, provision for special populations, and any actions taken following decontamination. The aim of the survey was to identify any differences in the way in which decontamination guidance is implemented across US states. Results revealed that, in line with current guidance, many US fire departments routinely use the “ladder-pipe system” for conducting rapid, gross decontamination of casualties. The survey revealed significant variability in ladder-pipe construction, such as the position and number of fire hoses used. There was also variability in decontamination characteristics, such as water temperature and water pressure, detergent use, and shower duration. The results presented here provide important insights into the ways in which implementation of decontamination guidance can vary between US states. These inconsistencies are thought to reflect established perceived best practices and local adaptation of response plans to address practical and logistical constraints. These outcomes highlight the need for evidence-based national guidelines for conducting mass casualty decontamination. PMID:27442794

Expanded Genetic Codes in Next Generation Sequencing Enable Decontamination and Mitochondrial Enrichment

PubMed Central

McKernan, Kevin J.; Spangler, Jessica; Zhang, Lei; Tadigotla, Vasisht; McLaughlin, Stephen; Warner, Jason; Zare, Amir; Boles, Richard G.

2014-01-01

We have developed a PCR method, coined Déjà vu PCR, that utilizes six nucleotides in PCR with two methyl specific restriction enzymes that respectively digest these additional nucleotides. Use of this enzyme-and-nucleotide combination enables what we term a “DNA diode”, where DNA can advance in a laboratory in only one direction and cannot feedback into upstream assays. Here we describe aspects of this method that enable consecutive amplification with the introduction of a 5th and 6th base while simultaneously providing methylation dependent mitochondrial DNA enrichment. These additional nucleotides enable a novel DNA decontamination technique that generates ephemeral and easy to decontaminate DNA. PMID:24788618

A novel copper-hydrogen peroxide formulation for prion decontamination.

PubMed

Solassol, Jerome; Pastore, Manuela; Crozet, Carole; Perrier, Veronique; Lehmann, Sylvain

2006-09-15

With the appearance of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and the detection of infectious prions in the peripheral organs of persons with sporadic CJD, the development of decontamination methods that are compatible with medical equipment has become a major issue. Here, we show that a formulation of copper metal ions in combination with hydrogen peroxide dramatically reduces the level of prion protein (PrP)(Sc) (the scrapie isoform of PrP) present in homogenates of samples from prion-infected brains, including brain samples from humans with CJD. An animal bioassay confirmed the reduction in prion infectivity, indicating that this novel Cu(2+)-H(2)O(2) formulation has great potential for prion decontamination.

Y-12 Plant decontamination and decommissioning technology logic diagram for Building 9201-4. Volume 2: Technology logic diagram

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-09-01

The Y-12 Plant Decontamination and Decommissioning Technology Logic Diagram for Building 9201-4 (TLD) was developed to provide a decision-support tool that relates decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) problems at Bldg. 9201-4 to potential technologies that can remediate these problems. This TLD identifies the research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation needed for sufficient development of these technologies to allow for technology transfer and application to D and D and waste management (WM) activities. It is essential that follow-on engineering studies be conducted to build on the output of this project. These studies will begin by selecting the most promising technologiesmore » identified in the TLD and by finding an optimum mix of technologies that will provide a socially acceptable balance between cost and risk. The TLD consists of three fundamentally separate volumes: Vol. 1 (Technology Evaluation), Vol. 2 (Technology Logic Diagram), and Vol. 3 (Technology Evaluation Data Sheets). Volume 2 contains the logic linkages among environmental management goals, environmental problems, and the various technologies that have the potential to solve these problems. Volume 2 has been divided into five sections: Characterization, Decontamination, Dismantlement, Robotics/Automation, and Waste Management. Each section contains logical breakdowns of the Y-12 D and D problems by subject area and identifies technologies that can be reasonably applied to each D and D challenge.« less

Evaluation of Carpet Steam and Heat Cleaners as Biological Sampling Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

to develop this approach into a valuable, readily available sampling capability and to evaluate its applicability for decontamination . 15. SUBJECT...Center, Research Triangle Park, NC) for their critical review of the test plan and the final report; and  Debbie Sheppard (U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical ...established to further examine and enhance the capabilities for sampling, decontaminating , and clearing biologically contaminated areas, including the

Studies on residue-free decontaminants for chemical warfare agents.

PubMed

Wagner, George W

2015-03-17

Residue-free decontaminants based on hydrogen peroxide, which decomposes to water and oxygen in the environment, are examined as decontaminants for chemical warfare agents (CWA). For the apparent special case of CWA on concrete, H2O2 alone, without any additives, effectively decontaminates S-2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate (VX), pinacolyl methylphosphorofluoridate (GD), and bis(2-choroethyl) sulfide (HD) in a process thought to involve H2O2 activation by surface-bound carbonates/bicarbonates (known H2O2 activators for CWA decontamination). A plethora of products are formed during the H2O2 decontamination of HD on concrete, and these are characterized by comparison to synthesized authentic compounds. As a potential residue-free decontaminant for surfaces other than concrete (or those lacking adsorbed carbonate/bicarbonate) H2O2 activation for CWA decontamination is feasible using residue-free NH3 and CO2 as demonstrated by reaction studies for VX, GD, and HD in homogeneous solution. Although H2O2/NH3/CO2 ("HPAC") decontaminants are active for CWA decontamination in solution, they require testing on actual surfaces of interest to assess their true efficacy for surface decontamination.

Agricultural pathogen decontamination technology-reducing the threat of infectious agent spread.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Betty, Rita G.; Bieker, Jill Marie; Tucker, Mark David

Outbreaks of infectious agricultural diseases, whether natural occurring or introduced intentionally, could have catastrophic impacts on the U.S. economy. Examples of such agricultural pathogens include foot and mouth disease (FMD), avian influenza (AI), citrus canker, wheat and soy rust, etc. Current approaches to mitigate the spread of agricultural pathogens include quarantine, development of vaccines for animal diseases, and development of pathogen resistant crop strains in the case of plant diseases. None of these approaches is rapid, and none address the potential persistence of the pathogen in the environment, which could lead to further spread of the agent and damage aftermore » quarantine is lifted. Pathogen spread in agricultural environments commonly occurs via transfer on agricultural equipment (transportation trailers, tractors, trucks, combines, etc.), having components made from a broad range of materials (galvanized and painted steel, rubber tires, glass and Plexiglas shields, etc), and under conditions of heavy organic load (mud, soil, feces, litter, etc). A key element of stemming the spread of an outbreak is to ensure complete inactivation of the pathogens in the agricultural environment and on the equipment used in those environments. Through the combination of enhanced agricultural pathogen decontamination chemistry and a validated inactivation verification methodology, important technologies for incorporation as components of a robust response capability will be enabled. Because of the potentially devastating economic impact that could result from the spread of infectious agricultural diseases, the proposed capability components will promote critical infrastructure protection and greater border and food supply security. We investigated and developed agricultural pathogen decontamination technologies to reduce the threat of infectious-agent spread, and thus enhance agricultural biosecurity. Specifically, enhanced detergency versions of the patented Sandia decontamination chemistry were developed and tested against a few surrogate pathogens under conditions of relatively heavy organic load. Tests were conducted on surfaces commonly found in agricultural environments. Wide spectrum decontamination efficacy, low corrosivity, and biodegradability issues were addressed in developing an enhanced detergency formulation. A method for rapid assessment of loss of pathogenic activity (inactivation) was also assessed. This enhanced technology will enable rapid assessment of contamination following an intentional event, and will also be extremely useful in routine assessment of agricultural environments. The primary effort during the second year was progress towards a demonstration of both decontamination and viral inactivation technologies of Foot and Mouth virus (FMDv) using the modified SNL chemistry developed through this project. Lab studies using a surrogate virus (bovine enterovirus) were conducted using DF200, modified DF200 chemistry, and decontaminants currently recommended for use in heavily loaded organic, agricultural environments (VirkonS, 10% bleach, sodium hydroxide and citric acid). Tests using actual FMD virus will be performed at the Department of Homeland Security's Plum Island facilities in the fall of 2005. Success and the insight gained from this project will lead to enhanced response capability, which will benefit agencies such as USDA, DHS, DOD, and the agricultural industry.« less

Air Activated Self-Decontaminating Polydicyclopentadiene PolyHIPE Foams for Rapid Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents.

PubMed

McGann, Christopher L; Daniels, Grant C; Giles, Spencer L; Balow, Robert B; Miranda-Zayas, Jorge L; Lundin, Jeffrey G; Wynne, James H

2018-06-01

The threat of chemical warfare agents (CWA) compels research into novel self-decontaminating materials (SDM) for the continued safety of first-responders, civilians, and active service personnel. The capacity to actively detoxify, as opposed to merely sequester, offending agents under typical environmental conditions defines the added value of SDMs in comparison to traditional adsorptive materials. Porous polymers, synthesized via the high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating, provide a facile fabrication method for materials with permeable open cellular structures that may serve in air filtration applications. PolyHIPEs comprising polydicyclopentadiene (polyDCPD) networks form stable hydroperoxide species following activation in air under ambient conditions. The hydroperoxide-containing polyDCPD materials react quickly with CWA simulants, Demeton-S and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, forming oxidation products as confirmed via gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The simplicity of the detoxification chemistry paired with the porous foam form factor presents an exciting opportunity for the development of self-decontaminating filter media. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Zirconium Hydroxide-coated Nanofiber Mats for Nerve Agent Decontamination.

PubMed

Kim, Sohee; Ying, Wu Bin; Jung, Hyunsook; Ryu, Sam Gon; Lee, Bumjae; Lee, Kyung Jin

2017-03-16

Diverse innovative fabrics with specific functionalities have been developed for requirements such as self-decontamination of chemical/biological pollutants and toxic nerve agents. In this work, Zr(OH) 4 -coated nylon-6,6 nanofiber mats were fabricated for the decontamination of nerve agents. Nylon-6,6 fabric was prepared via the electrospinning process, followed by coating with Zr(OH) 4 , which was obtained by the hydrolysis of Zr(OBu) 4 by a sol-gel reaction on nanofiber surfaces. The reaction conditions were optimized by varying the amounts of Zr(OBu) 4 ,the reaction time, and the temperature of the sol-gel reaction. The composite nanofibers show high decontamination efficiency against diisopropylfluorophosphate, which is a nerve agent analogue, due to its high nucleophilicity that aids in the catalysis of the hydrolysis of the phosphonate ester bonds. Composite nanofiber mats have a large potential and can be applied in specific fields such as military and medical markets. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Decontamination of chemical warfare agents by photocatalysis].

PubMed

Hirakawa, Tsutomu; Mera, Nobuaki; Sano, Taizo; Negishi, Nobuaki; Takeuchi, Koji

2009-01-01

Photocatalysis has been widely applied to solar-energy conversion and environmental purification. Photocatalyst, typically titanium dioxide (TiO(2)), produces active oxygen species under irradiation of ultraviolet light, and can decompose not only conventional pollutants but also different types of hazardous substances at mild conditions. We have recently started the study of photocatalytic decontamination of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) under collaboration with the National Research Institute of Police Science. This article reviews environmental applications of semiconductor photocatalysis, decontamination methods for CWAs, and previous photocatalytic studies applied to CWA degradation, together with some of our results obtained with CWAs and their simulant compounds. The data indicate that photocatalysis, which may not always give a striking power, certainly helps detoxification of such hazardous compounds. Unfortunately, there are not enough data obtained with real CWAs due to the difficulty in handling. We will add more scientific data using CWAs in the near future to develop useful decontamination systems that can reduce the damage caused by possible terrorism.

Radioactive scrap metal decontamination technology assessment report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buckentin, J.M.; Damkroger, B.K.; Schlienger, M.E.

1996-04-01

Within the DOE complex there exists a tremendous quantity of radioactive scrap metal. As an example, it is estimated that within the gaseous diffusion plants there exists in excess of 700,000 tons of contaminated stainless steel. At present, valuable material is being disposed of when it could be converted into a high quality product. Liquid metal processing represents a true recycling opportunity for this material. By applying the primary production processes towards the material`s decontamination and re-use, the value of the strategic resource is maintained while drastically reducing the volume of material in need of burial. Potential processes for themore » liquid metal decontamination of radioactively contaminated metal are discussed and contrasted. Opportunities and technology development issues are identified and discussed. The processes compared are: surface decontamination; size reduction, packaging and burial; melting technologies; electric arc melting; plasma arc centrifugal treatment; air induction melting; vacuum induction melting; and vacuum induction melting and electroslag remelting.« less

Non-destructive decontamination of building materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holecek, Josef; Otahal, Petr

2015-11-01

For nondestructive radiation decontamination of surfaces it is necessary to use varnishes, such as ARGONNE, DG1101, DG1108, etc. This text evaluates the use of manufactured strippable coatings for radiation decontamination. To evaluate decontamination capability of such coatings the following varnishes were selected and subsequently used: AZ 1-700 and AXAL 1807S. The varnishes were tested on different building materials surfaces contaminated by short-term radioisotopes of Na-24 or La-140, in water soluble or water insoluble forms. Decontamination quality was assessed by the decontamination efficiency value, defined as the proportion of removed activity to the applied activity. It was found that decontamination efficiency of both used varnishes depends not only on the form of contaminant, but in the case of application of AXAL 1807S varnish it also depends on the method of its application on the contaminated surface. The values of the decontamination efficiency for AZ1-700 varnish range from 46% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 98% for the decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. The decontamination efficiency values determined for AXAL 1807S varnish range from 48% for decontamination of a soluble form of the radioisotope from concrete surface to 96% for decontamination of an insoluble form of the radioisotope from ceramic tile surface. Comparing these values to the values given for the decontaminating varnishes we can conclude that AXAL 1807S varnish is possible to use on all materials, except highly porous materials, such as plasterboard or breeze blocks, or plastic materials. AZ 1-700 varnish can be used for all dry materials except plasterboard.

A laboratory investigation of the effectiveness of various skin and surface decontaminants for aliphatic polyisocyanates.

PubMed

Bello, Dhimiter; Woskie, Susan R; Streicher, Robert P; Stowe, Meredith H; Sparer, Judy; Redlich, Carrie A; Cullen, Mark R; Liu, Youcheng

2005-07-01

Isocyanates may cause contact dermatitis and respiratory sensitization leading to asthma. Dermal exposure to aliphatic isocyanates in auto body shops is very common. However, little is known about the effectiveness of available commercial products used for decontaminating aliphatic polyisocyanates. This experimental study evaluated the decontamination effectiveness of aliphatic polyisocyanates for several skin and surface decontaminants available for use in the auto body industry. The efficiency of two major decontamination mechanisms, namely (i) consumption of free isocyanate groups via chemical reactions with active hydrogen components of the decontaminant and (ii) physical removal processes such as dissolution were studied separately for each decontaminant. Considerable differences were observed among surface decontaminants in their rate of isocyanate consumption, of which those containing free amine groups performed the best. Overall, Pine-Sol(R) MEA containing monoethanolamine was the most efficient surface decontaminant, operating primarily via chemical reaction with the isocyanate group. Polypropylene glycol (PPG) had the highest physical removal efficiency and the lowest reaction rate with isocyanates. All tested skin decontaminants performed similarly, accomplishing decontamination primarily via physical processes and removing 70-80% of isocyanates in one wiping. Limitations of these skin decontaminants are discussed and alternatives presented. In vitro testing using animal skins and in vivo testing with field workers are being conducted to further assess the efficiency and identify related determinants.

Influence of intestinal bacterial decontamination using metronidazole and ciprofloxacin or ciprofloxacin alone on the development of acute graft-versus-host disease after marrow transplantation in patients with hematologic malignancies: final results and long-term follow-up of an open-label prospective randomized trial.

PubMed

Beelen, D W; Elmaagacli, A; Müller, K D; Hirche, H; Schaefer, U W

1999-05-15

In a single-center open-label prospective study, a total of 134 marrow transplant recipients with hematologic malignancies were randomly assigned to a bacterial decontamination medication using metronidazole and ciprofloxacin (n = 68) or ciprofloxacin alone (n = 66) during 5 weeks posttransplant. The development of grades II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was defined as the primary study endpoint. According to the intention-to-treat, 17 patients (25%) randomized to the combined decontamination medication and 33 patients (50%) randomized to ciprofloxacin alone developed grades II to IV GVHD (P <.002). The higher frequency of grades II to IV acute GVHD in patients randomized to ciprofloxacin alone resulted from a more than twofold increased number of patients developing liver or intestinal involvement with acute GVHD compared with patients randomized to the combined decontamination medication (P <.003). The influence of the study medication on grades II to IV acute GVHD was significant only in recipients of transplants from genotypically HLA-identical sibling donors (n = 80), whereas in recipients of transplants from donors other than HLA-identical siblings (n = 54), grades II to IV acute GVHD frequencies between the study arms were not significantly different. The combined decontamination was associated with a significant reduction of culture growth of intestinal anaerobic bacteria during 5 weeks posttransplant (P <. 00001). In addition, the number of cultures with growth of anaerobic bacteria (P <.005) as well as the median concentrations of anaerobic bacteria in the posttransplant period (P <.0001) were higher in patients contracting grades II to IV acute GVHD. Neither chronic GVHD nor overall survival was significantly different between the two study arms. In patients with HLA-identical sibling donors who were treated in early disease stages, the 5-year survival estimate was slightly, but not significant, higher after the combined decontamination medication (60% +/- 11%) compared with ciprofloxacin alone (46% +/- 9%). In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that antimicrobial chemotherapy targeted to intestinal anaerobic bacteria in marrow transplant recipients significantly reduces the severity of acute GVHD and supports the theory that the intestinal anaerobic bacterial microflora plays a role in the pathogenesis of acute GVHD after human marrow transplantation.

Application of cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium chloride decontamination method for recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from clinically suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.

PubMed

Shinu, Pottathil; Singh, Varsha; Nair, Anroop; Mehrishi, Priya; Mehta, Sonia; Joshi, Ekta

2013-10-01

The study was designed to compare the efficacy of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and sodium chloride (NaCl) decontamination method with N-acetyl L-Cystine (NALC) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) decontamination (the reference method) method for the recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from clinically suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. To evaluate CPC-NaCl and NALC-NaOH decontamination methods, sputum specimens (n = 796) were studied (culturing on Löwenstein-Jensen medium), and the performances were compared. The CPC-NaCl decontamination method demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of 97.99%, 87.53%, 70.19%, and 99.32%, respectively, when compared to NALC-NaOH decontamination method. In summary, CPC-NaCl decontamination method effectively detected significantly higher number of MTB cases (n = 208) than NALC-NaOH decontamination method (n = 149) particularly in sputum with scanty bacilli and smear-negative cases, indicating the potential of CPC-NaCl decontamination method to preserve paucibacillary cases more efficient than NALC-NaOH decontamination method. © 2013.

Immediate post-dosing paralysis following severe soman and VX toxicosis in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Bide, R W; Schofield, L; Risk, D J

2005-01-01

There have been numerous studies of the central nervous system (CNS) involvement in organophosphate (OP) poisoning showing status epilepticus and/or 'electrographic seizures'. Brain damage has been demonstrated as 'neuronal necrosis' primarily in the cortex, thalamus and hippocampus. To the authors' knowledge there have been no reports of partial/total paralysis following close upon OP exposure although delayed paralysis has been reported. This report summarizes the immediate, OP induced paralytic events recorded in guinea pigs during development of the Canadian reactive skin decontaminant lotion (RSDL). As part of the development work, supra-lethal cutaneous doses of OP were applied to large numbers of guinea pigs followed by decontamination with the RSDL or predecessor lotions and solvents. Soman (pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate; GD) challenges were applied to 1277 animals and S-(2-diisopropyl-aminoethyl) methylphosphorothiolate (VX) challenges to 108. The classic sequence of clinical signs--ptyalism, tremors, fasciculations, convulsions, apnea and flaccid paralysis before death--was seen in the 658 animals that died and in many of the survivors. Eighty-four of 688 survivors of GD and 4 of 39 survivors of VX showed random paralysis of various distal regions following recovery from an insult which produced convulsions and/or flaccid paralysis. Because the experiments were designed to assess the decontamination procedures, there were no apparent relationships between the amounts of OP applied and the sequellae recorded. The observations of paralysis were also incidental to the prime focus of the experiments. Because of this, only ten animals paralysed following GD exposure were examined for histological effects. The pathologist diagnosed 'encephalomalacia' and 'focal necrotic lesions' in the cerebral cortex and 'focal necrotic lesions' in one spinal cord. Of the 84 guinea pigs paralysed after GD challenge, one was not decontaminated and the decontaminants used on the remainder were sufficiently varied that there appeared to be no relationship between the type of decontaminant and the resulting paralysis. 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Determination of the Efficacy of Two Building Decontamination Strategies by Surface Sampling with Culture and Quantitative PCR Analysis

PubMed Central

Buttner, Mark P.; Cruz, Patricia; Stetzenbach, Linda D.; Klima-Comba, Amy K.; Stevens, Vanessa L.; Cronin, Tracy D.

2004-01-01

The efficacy of currently available decontamination strategies for the treatment of indoor furnishings contaminated with bioterrorism agents is poorly understood. Efficacy testing of decontamination products in a controlled environment is needed to ensure that effective methods are used to decontaminate domestic and workplace settings. An experimental room supplied with materials used in office furnishings (i.e., wood laminate, painted metal, and vinyl tile) was used with controlled dry aerosol releases of endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus (“Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger,” also referred to as BG), a Bacillus anthracis surrogate. Studies were performed using two test products, a foam decontaminant and chlorine dioxide gas. Surface samples were collected pre- and posttreatment with three sampling methods and analyzed by culture and quantitative PCR (QPCR). Additional aerosol releases with environmental background present on the surface materials were also conducted to determine if there was any interference with decontamination or sample analysis. Culture results indicated that 105 to 106 CFU per sample were present on surfaces before decontamination. After decontamination with the foam, no culturable B. atrophaeus spores were detected. After decontamination with chlorine dioxide gas, no culturable B. atrophaeus was detected in 24 of 27 samples (89%). However, QPCR analysis showed that B. atrophaeus DNA was still present after decontamination with both methods. Environmental background material had no apparent effect on decontamination, but inhibition of the QPCR assay was observed. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of two decontamination methods and illustrate the utility of surface sampling and QPCR analysis for the evaluation of decontamination strategies. PMID:15294810

Determination of the efficacy of two building decontamination strategies by surface sampling with culture and quantitative PCR analysis.

PubMed

Buttner, Mark P; Cruz, Patricia; Stetzenbach, Linda D; Klima-Comba, Amy K; Stevens, Vanessa L; Cronin, Tracy D

2004-08-01

The efficacy of currently available decontamination strategies for the treatment of indoor furnishings contaminated with bioterrorism agents is poorly understood. Efficacy testing of decontamination products in a controlled environment is needed to ensure that effective methods are used to decontaminate domestic and workplace settings. An experimental room supplied with materials used in office furnishings (i.e., wood laminate, painted metal, and vinyl tile) was used with controlled dry aerosol releases of endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus ("Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger," also referred to as BG), a Bacillus anthracis surrogate. Studies were performed using two test products, a foam decontaminant and chlorine dioxide gas. Surface samples were collected pre- and posttreatment with three sampling methods and analyzed by culture and quantitative PCR (QPCR). Additional aerosol releases with environmental background present on the surface materials were also conducted to determine if there was any interference with decontamination or sample analysis. Culture results indicated that 10(5) to 10(6) CFU per sample were present on surfaces before decontamination. After decontamination with the foam, no culturable B. atrophaeus spores were detected. After decontamination with chlorine dioxide gas, no culturable B. atrophaeus was detected in 24 of 27 samples (89%). However, QPCR analysis showed that B. atrophaeus DNA was still present after decontamination with both methods. Environmental background material had no apparent effect on decontamination, but inhibition of the QPCR assay was observed. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of two decontamination methods and illustrate the utility of surface sampling and QPCR analysis for the evaluation of decontamination strategies.

Assessment, evaluation, and testing of technologies for environmental restoration, decontamination, and decommissioning and high level waste management. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uzochukwu, G.A.

1997-12-31

Nuclear and commercial non-nuclear technologies that have the potential of meeting the environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and high-level waste management objectives are being assessed and evaluated. A detailed comparison of innovative technologies available will be performed to determine the safest and most economical technology for meeting these objectives. Information derived from this effort will be matched with the multi-objectives of the environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and high-level waste management effort to ensure that the best, most economical, and the safest technologies are used in decision making at USDOE-SRS. Technology-related variables will be developed and the resulting data formattedmore » and computerized for multimedia systems. The multimedia system will be made available to technology developers and evaluators to ensure that the best, most economical, and the safest technologies are used in decision making at USDOE-SRS. Technology-related variables will be developed and the resulting data formatted and computerized for multimedia systems. The multimedia system will be made available to technology developers and evaluators to ensure that the safest and most economical technologies are developed for use at SRS and other DOE sites.« less

A Roadmap for Recovery/Decontamination Plan for Critical Infrastructure after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities: Scoping Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

A Roadmap for Recovery/Decontamination Plan for Critical Infrastructure after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities: Scoping Study... Drinking Water Utilities was supported by the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre...after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities Scoping Study Prepared by: Vladimir Blinov Konstantin Volchek Emergencies Science and

Soil removal as a decontamination practice and radiocesium accumulation in tadpoles in rice paddies at Fukushima.

PubMed

Sakai, Masaru; Gomi, Takashi; Nunokawa, Masanori; Wakahara, Taeko; Onda, Yuichi

2014-04-01

We investigated the biological accumulation of radiocesium in tadpoles [Rana (Pelophylax) porosa porosa] in rice paddies with and without decontamination practice at Fukushima. Radiocesium was accumulated in surface part of soils both in the control and decontaminated paddies one year after decontamination. Mean (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in tadpoles in the control and decontaminated paddies were 3000 and 4500, and 600 and 890 Bq/kg dry weight, respectively. Radiocesium concentrations in surface soil (0-5 cm depth) and tadpoles in the decontaminated paddy were five times smaller than in the control paddy. These results suggest that decontamination practice can reduce radiocesium concentrations in both soil and tadpoles. However, at the decontaminated paddy, radiocesium concentrations in surface soils became 3.8 times greater one year after decontamination, which indicates that monitoring the subsequent movement of radiocesium in rice paddies and surrounding areas is essential for examining contamination propagation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complications in pediatric intestine transplantation in the absence of peri-operative donor or recipient bowel decontamination.

PubMed

Clouse, Jared W; Kubal, Chandrashekhar A; Fridell, Jonathan A; Mangus, Richard S

2018-05-01

This study reports the clinical complication and infection rates of an active pediatric IT program that has never utilized bowel decontamination in either the donor or the recipient. All patients undergoing IT from 2003 to 2015 at a single pediatric IT center were reviewed. Post-transplant surgical, infectious, and immunosuppressive complications are reported. There were 52 patients who underwent IT during the study period. Among these patients, 4% developed a postoperative abscess, one developed an enteric fistula (2%), and one had an enteric or anastomotic leak (2%). The rate of any bacterial infection was 90% in the first year, with a wound infection rate of 23%. Any fungal infection occurred in 25% of patients. Any viral infection occurred in 75% of patients. Gastrointestinal viruses were diagnosed in 52% of patients, and cytomegalovirus infections occurred in 17%. Rejection rates were 39% at any time post-transplant (isolated 44% and 35% for multivisceral patients). At this center in which no bowel decontamination was used, rates of surgical complications, infections, and rejection were similar to those reported by other centers. These findings suggest bowel decontamination may provide no significant benefit in this population of high-risk transplant patients. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Screening of nitrogen mustards and their degradation products in water and decontamination solution by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Chua, Hoe-Chee; Lee, Hoi-Sim; Sng, Mui-Tiang

2006-01-13

Analysing nitrogen mustards and their degradation products in decontamination emulsions posed a significant challenge due to the different phases present in such matrices. Extensive sample preparation may be required to isolate target analytes. Furthermore, numerous reaction products are formed in the decontamination emulsion. A fast and effective qualitative screening procedure was developed for these compounds, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This eliminated the need for additional sample handling and derivatisation that are required for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis. A liquid chromatograph with mixed mode column and isocratic elution gave good chromatography. The feasibility of applying this technique for detecting these compounds in spiked water and decontamination emulsion was demonstrated. Detailed characterisation of the degradation products in these two matrices was carried out. The results demonstrated that N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), N-ethyldiethanolamine (EDEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) are not the major degradation products of their respective nitrogen mustards. Degradation profiles of nitrogen mustards in water were also established. In verification analysis, it is important not only to develop methods for the identification of the actual chemical agents; the methods must also encompass degradation products of the chemical agents as well so as to exclude false negatives. This study demonstrated the increasingly pivotal role that LC-MS play in verification analysis.

Legionnaires' disease as an occupational risk related to decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear disaster: A case report.

PubMed

Sawano, Toyoaki; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Ozaki, Akihiko; Leppold, Claire; Kato, Shigeaki; Kambe, Toshiyuki

2018-05-25

Legionnaires' disease (LD), which is atypical pneumonia with a broad variety of clinical symptoms, can lead to death despite its low incidence. There are multiple risk factors for LD, yet little information is available concerning what kind of environmental factors are linked to higher risk of LD development. We have experienced a fatal case of LD, which occurred in a decontamination worker after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. A 53-year-old Japanese male visited our hospital with symptoms of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and altered mental status, but not with respiratory manifestations. He was engaged in decontamination work, which generally includes operations such as the removal of topsoil in mountainous areas and cleaning roads and roofs of residential buildings with high-pressure water. He was required to wear specific equipment to prevent radiation exposure, and lived in a workers' dormitory or shared house, thereby sharing spaces with other workers. Normal antibiotic therapy did not improve his symptoms following his diagnosis with pneumonia. A urinary antigen detection test was then conducted, leading to a diagnosis of LD. Despite the change of antibiotic to levofloxacin, multiple organ failure led to his death. Decontamination workers may be at a high risk for developing LD and living and working conditions among them are possible contributors.

Development of haemostatic decontaminants for treatment of wounds contaminated with chemical warfare agents. 3: Evaluation of in vitro topical decontamination efficacy using damaged skin.

PubMed

Lydon, Helen L; Hall, Charlotte A; Dalton, Christopher H; Chipman, J Kevin; Graham, John S; Chilcott, Robert P

2017-08-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that haemostatic products with an absorptive mechanism of action retain their clotting efficiency in the presence of toxic materials and are effective in decontaminating chemical warfare (CW) agents when applied to normal, intact skin. The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess three candidate haemostatic products for effectiveness in the decontamination of superficially damaged porcine skin exposed to the radiolabelled CW agents, soman (GD), VX and sulphur mustard (HD). Controlled physical damage (removal of the upper 100 μm skin layer) resulted in a significant enhancement of the dermal absorption of all three CW agents. Of the haemostatic products assessed, WoundStat™ was consistently the most effective, being equivalent in performance to a standard military decontaminant (fuller's earth). These data suggest that judicious application of haemostatic products to wounds contaminated with CW agents may be a viable option for the clinical management of casualties presenting with contaminated, haemorrhaging injuries. Further studies using a relevant animal model are required to confirm the potential clinical efficacy of WoundStat™ for treating wounds contaminated with CW agents. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Inactivation of Burkholderia pseudomallei on environmental surfaces using spray-applied, common liquid disinfectants.

PubMed

Calfee, M W; Wendling, M

2015-11-01

Five commercially available liquid antimicrobials were evaluated for their ability to decontaminate common environmental surface materials, contaminated with Burkholderia pseudomallei, using a spray-based disinfectant delivery procedure. Tests were conducted at both an ambient temperature (c. 20°C) and a lower temperature (c. 12°C) condition. Nonporous materials (glass and aluminium) were more easily decontaminated than porous materials (wood, concrete and carpet). Citric acid (1%) demonstrated poor efficacy in all test conditions. Bleach (pH-adjusted), ethanol (70%), quaternary ammonium and PineSol®, demonstrated high (>6 log10 reduction) efficacies on glass and aluminium at both temperatures, but achieved varying results for wood, carpet and concrete. Temperature had minimal effect on decontamination efficacy during these tests. Much of the antimicrobial efficacy data for pathogenic micro-organisms are generated with testing that utilizes hard nonporous surface materials. These data are not directly translatable for decontaminant selection following an incident whereby complex and porous environmental surfaces are contaminated. This study presents efficacy data for spray-applied antimicrobial liquids, when used to decontaminate common environmental surfaces contaminated with Burkholderia pseudomallei. These data can help responders develop effective remediation strategies following an environmental contamination incident involving B. pseudomallei. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Environmental decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cristy, G.A.; Jernigan, H.C.

1981-02-01

The record of the proceedings of the workshop on environmental decontamination contains twenty-seven presentations. Emphasis is placed upon soil and surface decontamination, the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and assessments of instrumentation and equipment used in decontamination. (DLS)

Evaluation of standard and alternative methods for the decontamination of VX and HD in chemical agent disposal facilities. Final report, February 1992-February 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hovanec, J.W.; Szafraniec, L.L.; Albizo, J.M.

1993-04-01

Standard decontaminant formulations, aqueous sodium hydroxide and aqueous sodium hypochlorite, were providing slow and incomplete results when used to decontaminate certain operating facilities at the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System and the Chemical Agent Disposal System (Utah). A study was undertaken to define the capabilities and limitations of using concentrated sodium hydroxide to decontaminate VX, the effect of adding hydrogen peroxide to the sodium hydroxide for the decontamination of VX, the efficacy of aqueous oxone for the decontamination of VX, and the efficacy of oxone in a water/1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (MP) mixture for the decontamination of HD. Using aqueous sodium hydroxidemore » alone was not desirable since the formation of toxic EA2192 could not be averted. However, the addition of hydrogen peroxide resulted in effective VX decontamination without EA2192 formation. Aqueous oxone was also found to be effective for both VX and HD. The incorporation of MP did little to improve HD dissolution and reacted with the oxone to reduce the effective usable life of the decontamination solution. Thus, the use of MP in HD decontamination was not recommended.« less

Decontamination Efficacy and Skin Toxicity of Two Decontaminants against Bacillus anthracis

PubMed Central

Stratilo, Chad W.; Crichton, Melissa K. F.; Sawyer, Thomas W.

2015-01-01

Decontamination of bacterial endospores such as Bacillus anthracis has traditionally required the use of harsh or caustic chemicals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a chlorine dioxide decontaminant in killing Bacillus anthracis spores in solution and on a human skin simulant (porcine cadaver skin), compared to that of commonly used sodium hypochlorite or soapy water decontamination procedures. In addition, the relative toxicities of these decontaminants were compared in human skin keratinocyte primary cultures. The chlorine dioxide decontaminant was similarly effective to sodium hypochlorite in reducing spore numbers of Bacillus anthracis Ames in liquid suspension after a 10 minute exposure. After five minutes, the chlorine dioxide product was significantly more efficacious. Decontamination of isolated swine skin contaminated with Bacillus anthracis Sterne with the chlorine dioxide product resulted in no viable spores sampled. The toxicity of the chlorine dioxide decontaminant was up to two orders of magnitude less than that of sodium hypochlorite in human skin keratinocyte cultures. In summary, the chlorine dioxide based decontaminant efficiently killed Bacillus anthracis spores in liquid suspension, as well as on isolated swine skin, and was less toxic than sodium hypochlorite in cultures of human skin keratinocytes. PMID:26394165

Volunteer trials of a novel improvised dry decontamination protocol for use during mass casualty incidents as part of the UK'S Initial Operational Response (IOR).

PubMed

Amlôt, Richard; Carter, Holly; Riddle, Lorna; Larner, Joanne; Chilcott, Robert P

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that rapid evacuation, disrobing and emergency decontamination can enhance the ability of emergency services and acute hospitals to effectively manage chemically-contaminated casualties. The purpose of this human volunteer study was to further optimise such an "Initial Operational Response" by (1) identifying an appropriate method for performing improvised skin decontamination and (2) providing guidance for use by first responders and casualties. The study was performed using two readily available, absorbent materials (paper towels and incontinence pads). The decontamination effectiveness of the test materials was measured by quantifying the amount of a chemical warfare agent simulant (methyl salicylate) removed from each volunteer's forearm skin. Results from the first study demonstrated that simulant recovery was lower in all of the dry decontamination conditions when compared to matched controls, suggesting that dry decontamination serves to reduce chemical exposure. Blotting in combination with rubbing was the most effective form of decontamination. There was no difference in effectiveness between the two absorbent materials. In the following study, volunteers performed improvised dry decontamination, either with or without draft guidelines. Volunteers who received the guidance were able to carry out improvised dry decontamination more effectively, using more of the absorbent product (blue roll) to ensure that all areas of the body were decontaminated and avoiding cross-contamination of other body areas by working systematically from the head downwards. Collectively, these two studies suggest that absorbent products that are available on ambulances and in acute healthcare settings may have generic applicability for improvised dry decontamination. Wherever possible, emergency responders and healthcare workers should guide casualties through decontamination steps; in the absence of explicit guidance and instructions, improvised dry decontamination may not be performed correctly or safely.

Volunteer trials of a novel improvised dry decontamination protocol for use during mass casualty incidents as part of the UK’S Initial Operational Response (IOR)

PubMed Central

Riddle, Lorna; Larner, Joanne

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that rapid evacuation, disrobing and emergency decontamination can enhance the ability of emergency services and acute hospitals to effectively manage chemically-contaminated casualties. The purpose of this human volunteer study was to further optimise such an “Initial Operational Response” by (1) identifying an appropriate method for performing improvised skin decontamination and (2) providing guidance for use by first responders and casualties. The study was performed using two readily available, absorbent materials (paper towels and incontinence pads). The decontamination effectiveness of the test materials was measured by quantifying the amount of a chemical warfare agent simulant (methyl salicylate) removed from each volunteer’s forearm skin. Results from the first study demonstrated that simulant recovery was lower in all of the dry decontamination conditions when compared to matched controls, suggesting that dry decontamination serves to reduce chemical exposure. Blotting in combination with rubbing was the most effective form of decontamination. There was no difference in effectiveness between the two absorbent materials. In the following study, volunteers performed improvised dry decontamination, either with or without draft guidelines. Volunteers who received the guidance were able to carry out improvised dry decontamination more effectively, using more of the absorbent product (blue roll) to ensure that all areas of the body were decontaminated and avoiding cross-contamination of other body areas by working systematically from the head downwards. Collectively, these two studies suggest that absorbent products that are available on ambulances and in acute healthcare settings may have generic applicability for improvised dry decontamination. Wherever possible, emergency responders and healthcare workers should guide casualties through decontamination steps; in the absence of explicit guidance and instructions, improvised dry decontamination may not be performed correctly or safely. PMID:28622352

The impact of skin decontamination on the time window for effective treatment of percutaneous VX exposure.

PubMed

Joosen, M J A; van den Berg, R M; de Jong, A L; van der Schans, M J; Noort, D; Langenberg, J P

2017-04-01

The main goal of the present study was to obtain insight into depot formation and penetration following percutaneous VX poisoning, in order to identify an appropriate decontamination window that can enhance or support medical countermeasures. The study was executed in two phases, using the hairless guinea pig as an animal model. In the first phase the effect of various decontamination regimens on levels of free VX in skin and plasma were studied as well as on blood cholinesterase levels. Animals were exposed to 0.5 mg/kg VX and were not decontaminated (control), decontaminated with RSDL once at 15 or 90 min after exposure or three times at 15, 25 and 35 (10-min interval) or 15, 45 and 75 min after exposure (30-min interval). There was no significant effect of any of the decontamination regimens on the 6-h survival rate of the animals. However, all animals that had been decontaminated 15 min after exposure, showed a survival rate of more than 90%, compared to 50-60% in animals that were not decontaminated or decontaminated at 90 min after exposure. In the second phase of the study, hairless guinea pigs were exposed to 1 mg/kg VX on the shoulder, followed either by decontamination with RSDL (10 min interval), conventional treatment on indication of clinical signs or a combination thereof. It appeared that a thorough, repeated decontamination alone could not save the majority of the animals. A 100% survival rate was observed in the group that received a combination of decontamination and treatment. In conclusion, the effects of VX exposure could be influenced by various RSDL decontamination regimens. The results in freely moving animals showed that skin decontamination, although not fully effective in removing all VX from the skin and skin depot is crucial to support pharmacological intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of time required for water-only decontamination of an oil-based agent.

PubMed

Moffett, Peter M; Baker, Benjamin L; Kang, Christopher S; Johnson, Melinda S

2010-03-01

The objective was to evaluate the time to decontaminate an area of skin exposed to an oil-based agent using a water-only decontamination protocol. A fluorescent mock chemical/biological agent was created. Each of 20 subjects had his/her forearm sprayed with the agent. Each subject placed his/her arm under a decontamination shower, which provided water at a pressure of 60-70 psi and 35 degrees C. After 30 sec a black light was used by three evaluators to determine whether the agent was removed. The process of 30 sec decontamination and re-evaluation was repeated for a total of 5 min. The primary endpoint was proportion decontaminated over time. After 90 sec, 100% of subjects were decontaminated. Whereas the data suggest the possibility of rapid water-only decontamination, the applicability of this data in current form is doubtful, but provides a model as a basis for future study.

Firefighter attitudes, norms, beliefs, barriers, and behaviors toward post-fire decontamination processes in an era of increased cancer risk.

PubMed

Harrison, Tyler R; Muhamad, Jessica Wendorf; Yang, Fan; Morgan, Susan E; Talavera, Ed; Caban-Martinez, Alberto; Kobetz, Erin

2018-04-01

Firefighters are exposed to carcinogens such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during fires and from their personal protective equipment (PPE). Recent research has shown that decontamination processes can reduce contamination on both gear and skin. While firefighter cultures that honor dirty gear are changing, little is known about current attitudes and behaviors toward decontamination in the fire service. Four hundred eighty-five firefighters from four departments completed surveys about their attitudes, beliefs, perceived norms, barriers, and behaviors toward post-fire decontamination processes. Overall, firefighters reported positive attitudes, beliefs, and perceived norms about decontamination, but showering after a fire was the only decontamination process that occurred regularly, with field decontamination, use of cleansing wipes, routine gear cleaning, and other behaviors all occurring less frequently. Firefighters reported time and concerns over wet gear as barriers to decontamination.

A biological decontamination process for small, privately owned buildings.

PubMed

Krauter, Paula; Tucker, Mark

2011-09-01

An urban wide-area recovery and restoration effort following a large-scale biological release will require extensive resources and tax the capabilities of government authorities. Further, the number of private decontamination contractors available may not be sufficient to respond to the needs. These resource limitations could create the need for decontamination by the building owner/occupant. This article provides owners/occupants with a simple method to decontaminate a building or area following a wide-area release of Bacillus anthracis using liquid sporicidal decontamination materials, such as pH-amended bleach or activated peroxide; simple application devices; and high-efficiency particulate air-filtered vacuums. Owner/occupant decontamination would be recommended only after those charged with overseeing decontamination-the Unified Command/Incident Command-identify buildings and areas appropriate for owner/occupant decontamination based on modeling and environmental sampling and conduct health and safety training for cleanup workers.

p-Tertbutylcalix[4]arene nanoemulsion: preparation, characterization and comparative evaluation of its decontamination efficacy against Technetium-99m, Iodine-131 and Thallium-201.

PubMed

Rana, Sudha; Sharma, Navneet; Ojha, Himanshu; Shivkumar, Hosakote Gurumalappa; Sultana, Sarwat; Sharma, Rakesh Kumar

2014-05-01

This study aimed to develop p-tertbutylcalix[4]arene o/w nanoemulsion for decontamination of radioisotopes from skin. Formulation was characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), multi-photon confocal microscopy techniques and in vitro dissolution studies. In vivo evaluation of nano-emulsion was done using nuclear medicine technique. Stability studies and dermal toxicity studies were also carried out. Comparative decontamination efficacy (DE) studies were performed on synthetic human tissue equivalent material and Sprague Dawley rat against three commonly used medical radioisotopes, i.e., Technetium-99m ((99m)Tc), Iodine-131 ((131)I) and Thallium-201 ((201)Tl). Decontamination was performed using cotton swabs soaked in nanoemulsion at different time intervals of contaminants exposure. Whole body imaging and static counts were recorded using gamma camera before and after each decontamination attempt data was analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). DE of the nanoemulsion loaded with p-tertbutylcalix[4]arene was observed to be 88±5%, 90±3% and 89±3% for (99m)Tc, (131)I and (201)Tl respectively. Dermal toxicity studies revealed no significant differences between treated and control animals. Skin histopathology slides with and without API (Active pharmaceutical ingredients) also found to be comparable. p-Tertbutylcalix[4]arene loaded nanoemulsion shows great promise for skin decontamination against broad ranges of radiological contaminants besides being stable and safe. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decontamination of Anthrax spores in critical infrastructure and critical assets.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boucher, Raymond M.; Crown, Kevin K.; Tucker, Mark David

2010-05-01

Decontamination of anthrax spores in critical infrastructure (e.g., subway systems, major airports) and critical assets (e.g., the interior of aircraft) can be challenging because effective decontaminants can damage materials. Current decontamination methods require the use of highly toxic and/or highly corrosive chemical solutions because bacterial spores are very difficult to kill. Bacterial spores such as Bacillus anthracis, the infectious agent of anthrax, are one of the most resistant forms of life and are several orders of magnitude more difficult to kill than their associated vegetative cells. Remediation of facilities and other spaces (e.g., subways, airports, and the interior of aircraft)more » contaminated with anthrax spores currently requires highly toxic and corrosive chemicals such as chlorine dioxide gas, vapor- phase hydrogen peroxide, or high-strength bleach, typically requiring complex deployment methods. We have developed a non-toxic, non-corrosive decontamination method to kill highly resistant bacterial spores in critical infrastructure and critical assets. A chemical solution that triggers the germination process in bacterial spores and causes those spores to rapidly and completely change to much less-resistant vegetative cells that can be easily killed. Vegetative cells are then exposed to mild chemicals (e.g., low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds, alcohols, aldehydes, etc.) or natural elements (e.g., heat, humidity, ultraviolet light, etc.) for complete and rapid kill. Our process employs a novel germination solution consisting of low-cost, non-toxic and non-corrosive chemicals. We are testing both direct surface application and aerosol delivery of the solutions. A key Homeland Security need is to develop the capability to rapidly recover from an attack utilizing biological warfare agents. This project will provide the capability to rapidly and safely decontaminate critical facilities and assets to return them to normal operations as quickly as possible, sparing significant economic damage by re-opening critical facilities more rapidly and safely. Facilities and assets contaminated with Bacillus anthracis (i.e., anthrax) spores can be decontaminated with mild chemicals as compared to the harsh chemicals currently needed. Both the 'germination' solution and the 'kill' solution are constructed of 'off-the-shelf,' inexpensive chemicals. The method can be utilized by directly spraying the solutions onto exposed surfaces or by application of the solutions as aerosols (i.e., small droplets), which can also reach hidden surfaces.« less

Building A Better Force: Regular Army / Reserve Components Integration In The Army Chemical Corps

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

the Reserve Components (RCs) assumed sole responsibility for providing the Army with smoke, heavy decontamination, and biological detection ...production of anthrax.20 In 2010, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula urged "brothers with degrees in microbiology or chemistry …to develop a weapon of mass...Army’s generated smoke, heavy decontamination, and biological detection units. This places a greater reliance on the RCs for unique, low density

Decontamination Efficacy Testing of COTS SteriFx Prodcuts for Mass Personnel and Casualty Decontamination

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

low‐cost, lightweight, single‐use individual product for field self ‐decontamination. Surface (skin) decontamination of Bacillus subtilis spores has...field spray decontamination unit was previously demonstrated in 2003 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Dankert, 2003), and for wound healing with repeated...Technology on plastics, rubber and plastic tubing, and clothing. Demonstrate ability of CleanseFx to function as skin cleanser in military setting

Reactive decontamination formulation

DOEpatents

Giletto, Anthony [College Station, TX; White, William [College Station, TX; Cisar, Alan J [Cypress, TX; Hitchens, G Duncan [Bryan, TX; Fyffe, James [Bryan, TX

2003-05-27

The present invention provides a universal decontamination formulation and method for detoxifying chemical warfare agents (CWA's) and biological warfare agents (BWA's) without producing any toxic by-products, as well as, decontaminating surfaces that have come into contact with these agents. The formulation includes a sorbent material or gel, a peroxide source, a peroxide activator, and a compound containing a mixture of KHSO.sub.5, KHSO.sub.4 and K.sub.2 SO.sub.4. The formulation is self-decontaminating and once dried can easily be wiped from the surface being decontaminated. A method for decontaminating a surface exposed to chemical or biological agents is also disclosed.

In vitro human skin permeation and decontamination of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) using Dermal Decontamination Gel (DDGel) and Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL).

PubMed

Cao, Yachao; Hui, Xiaoying; Zhu, Hanjiang; Elmahdy, Akram; Maibach, Howard

2018-07-01

This study compared the efficiency for in vitro human skin decontamination using DDGel and RSDL. Experiments were performed using in vitro human skin models, in which skin was mounted onto Flow-Through diffusion cells. The mass of 14 -C CEES removed from skin surface after decontamination was quantitated by measuring radioactivity with a liquid scintillation spectrometer. Both decontaminants removed more than 82% of CEES from skin. DDGel skin decontamination significantly reduced toxicant amount when compared to RSDL. Mean CEES remaining in stratum corneum (SC), viable epidermis, dermis, and systemic absorption of DDGel and RSDL were, 0.12 and 0.55% (P < 0.01), 0.31 and 0.95% (p < 0.01), 1.08 and 2.92% (p < 0.05), 3.13 and 6.34% (p < 0.05), respectively. DDGel showed higher decontamination efficiency (twice decontamination efficacy factor, DEF) than RSDL and efficiently removed chemicals from the skin surface, importantly back-extracted from the SC, and significantly reduced both chemical penetration into skin and systemic absorption. Thus, DDGel can offer a potential as a next generation skin decontamination platform technology for military and civilian applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Purge- and intensive-purge decontamination of dental units contaminated with biofilm

PubMed Central

Kramer, Axel; Assadian, Ojan; Bachfeld, Danny; Meyer, Georg

2012-01-01

Introduction: During hygienic-microbiological monitoring of the water quality in dental units, the total bacterial colony count was found to exceed the limits for drinking water quality; in addition, mold contamination was detected. The presumed cause was irregular decontamination of the units through purging and intensive decontamination. Methods: To decontaminate the units, the manufacturer’s recommended program for cleaning and intensive decontamination was intensified by shortened intervals over a 2-week period. For Sirona units, instead of once a day, the automatic purge program was run every morning and evening for 20 min each time, and instead of once a month, intensive decontamination was performed every two weeks; this schedule has been maintained since then. For KaVo units, cleaning with the hydroclean function was carried out for 2.5 min every morning and evening. The automatic intensive decontamination was run daily instead of weekly. A maintenance log book was introduced, in which decontamination/cleaning was confirmed by the operator’s signature. Results: Within 5 weeks, all previously contaminated units were decontaminated. Discussion: By shortening the cleaning and intensive decontamination intervals in a 2-week period with subsequent control that the recommended maintenance intervals were kept, it was possible to guarantee drinking-water quality in the dental units of both manufacturers. PMID:22558045

Development and field testing of a mobile chlorine dioxide generation system for the decontamination of buildings contaminated with Bacillus anthracis.

PubMed

Wood, Joseph P; Blair Martin, G

2009-05-30

The numerous buildings that became contaminated with Bacillus anthracis (the bacterium causing the disease anthrax) in 2001, and more recent B. anthracis - related events, point to the need to have effective decontamination technologies for buildings contaminated with biological threat agents. The U.S. Government developed a portable chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) generation system to decontaminate buildings contaminated with B. anthracis spores, and this so-called mobile decontamination trailer (MDT) prototype was tested through a series of three field trials. The first test of the MDT was conducted at Fort McClellan in Anniston, AL. during October 2004. Four test attempts occurred over two weekends; however, a number of system problems resulted in termination of the activity prior to any ClO(2) introduction into the test building. After making several design enhancements and equipment changes, the MDT was subjected to a second test. During this test, extensive leak checks were made using argon and nitrogen in lieu of chlorine gas; each subsystem was checked for functionality, and the MDT was operated for 24h. This second test demonstrated the MDT flow and control systems functioned satisfactorily, and thus it was decided to proceed to a third, more challenging field trial. In the last field test, ClO(2) was generated and routed directly to the scrubber in a 12-h continuous run. Measurement of ClO(2) levels at the generator outlet showed that the desired production rate was not achieved. Additionally, only one of the two scrubbers performed adequately with regard to maintaining ClO(2) emissions below the limit. Numerous lessons were learned in the field trials of this ClO(2) decontamination technology.

Assessing cost and effectiveness of radiation decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.

PubMed

Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Naito, Wataru

2016-01-01

Despite the enormous cost of radiation decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture, it is not clear what levels of reduction in external radiation exposure are possible in the Special Decontamination Area, the Intensive Contamination Survey Areas and the whole of Fukushima. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of radiation decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture in its entirety. Using a geographic information system, we calculated the costs of removal, storage containers, transport, and temporary and interim storage facilities as well as the reduction in air dose rate for a cumulative external exposure for 9000 1 km × 1 km mesh units incorporating 51 municipalities. The decontamination cost for the basic scenario, for which forested areas within 20 m of habitation areas were decontaminated, was JPY2.53-5.12 trillion; the resulting reduction in annual external dose was about 2500 person-Sv. The transport, storage, and administrative costs of decontamination waste and removed soil reached JPY1.55-2.12 trillion under this scenario. Although implementing decontamination of all forested areas provides some major reductions in the external radiation dose for the average inhabitant, decontamination costs could potentially exceed JPY16 trillion. These results indicate that technologies for reducing the volume of decontamination waste and removed soil should be considered to reduce storage costs and that further discussions about forest decontamination policies are needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decontamination of chemical tracers in droplets by a submerging thin film flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landel, Julien R.; McEvoy, Harry; Dalziel, Stuart B.

2016-11-01

We investigate the decontamination of chemical tracers contained in small viscous drops by a submerging falling film. This problem has applications in the decontamination of hazardous chemicals, following accidental releases or terrorist attacks. Toxic droplets lying on surfaces are cleaned by spraying a liquid decontaminant over the surface. The decontaminant film submerges the droplets, without detaching them, in order to neutralize toxic chemicals in the droplets. The decontamination process is controlled by advection, diffusion and reaction processes near the drop-film interface. Chemical tracers dissolve into the film flow forming a thin diffusive boundary layer at the interface. The chemical tracers are then neutralized through a reaction with a chemical decontaminant transported in the film. We assume in this work that the decontamination process occurs mainly in the film phase owing to low solubility of the decontaminant in the drop phase. We analyze the impact of the reaction time scale, assuming first-order reaction, in relation with the characteristic advection and diffusion time scales in the case of a single droplet. Using theoretical, numerical and experimental means, we find that the reaction time scale need to be significantly smaller than the characteristic time scale in the diffusive boundary layer in order to enhance noticeably the decontamination of a single toxic droplet. We discuss these results in the more general case of the decontamination of a large number of droplets. This material is based upon work supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency under Contract No. HDTRA1-12-D-0003-0001.

40 CFR 170.150 - Decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Decontamination. 170.150 Section 170... PROTECTION STANDARD Standard for Workers § 170.150 Decontamination. (a)(1) Requirement. The agricultural employer must provide decontamination supplies for workers in accordance with this section whenever: (i...

Decontamination of Subway Railcar and Related Materials ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report In the event of a biological incident in a transportation hub such as a subway system, effective remediation of railcars, subway tunnels and stations will require the use of various decontamination approaches. One potential decontamination tool that could be used in such an event is the fogging of sporicidal liquids. The study described in this report builds on previous fogging decontamination research, but with a focus on decontaminating subway railcars and related materials.

The capability of accident and emergency departments to safely decontaminate victims of chemical incidents

PubMed Central

Horby, P.; Murray, V.; Cummins, A.; Mackway-Jones, K.; Euripidou, R.

2000-01-01

Objectives—To evaluate the capability of accident and emergency (A&E) departments in six health regions of England to safely decontaminate casualties exposed to hazardous chemicals. Methods—In January 1999 a postal questionnaire was sent to the clinical director of all A&E departments in Trent, North and South Thames, South and West, North West and, Anglia and Oxford Health Regions. The questionnaire inquired about characteristics of the department, decontamination facilities and equipment, and staff training. Non-responders were sent a second questionnaire and contacted by telephone if they failed to respond to the second mailing. Results—308 of 326 departments identified (94%) returned a questionnaire. There was no significant difference in response rate by region (p = 0.99). Analysis was restricted to 154 major departments seeing more than 20 000 new attendances per year. Of these 154 departments, 109 (71%) had a written chemical incident plan but only 55 (36%) maintained a list of nearby industrial chemical sites. Fifty nine departments (38%) stated that members of staff had received training in the management of chemically contaminated casualties in the preceding year. Eighteen departments (12%) possessed the level of personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended for decontamination by the Ambulance Services Association. Ninety six departments (62%) had a designated decontamination room but only seven (7%) of them incorporated all the features generally considered necessary for safe decontamination. Forty one units (27%) had the capability to decontaminate casualties outside of the department either with warm water from a shower attachment or with a mobile decontamination unit. Thirty six departments (23%) had neither a decontamination room nor the ability to decontaminate casualties outside the department. Only 16 units (10%) had both adequate PPE and either a decontamination room or the capability to decontaminate outside the department. Conclusions—This study has identified deficiencies in the current NHS capability to respond to chemical incidents. To resolve this, nationally recognised standards for decontamination facilities, equipment and training should be formulated, agreed and implemented. PMID:11005405

A systematic methodology for selecting decontamination strategies following a biocontamination event.

PubMed

Krauter, Paula; Edwards, Donna; Yang, Lynn; Tucker, Mark

2011-09-01

Decontamination and recovery of a facility or outdoor area after a wide-area biological incident involving a highly persistent agent (eg, Bacillus anthracis spores) is a complex process that requires extensive information and significant resources, which are likely to be limited, particularly if multiple facilities or areas are affected. This article proposes a systematic methodology for evaluating information to select the decontamination or alternative treatments that optimize use of resources if decontamination is required for the facility or area. The methodology covers a wide range of approaches, including volumetric and surface decontamination, monitored natural attenuation, and seal and abandon strategies. A proposed trade-off analysis can help decision makers understand the relative appropriateness, efficacy, and labor, skill, and cost requirements of the various decontamination methods for the particular facility or area needing treatment--whether alone or as part of a larger decontamination effort. Because the state of decontamination knowledge and technology continues to evolve rapidly, the methodology presented here is designed to accommodate new strategies and materials and changing information.

Mass Casualty Decontamination Guidance and Psychosocial Aspects of CBRN Incident Management: A Review and Synthesis

PubMed Central

Carter, Holly; Amlôt, Richard

2016-01-01

Introduction: Mass casualty decontamination is an intervention employed by first responders at the scene of an incident involving noxious contaminants.  Many countries have sought to address the challenge of decontaminating large numbers of affected casualties through the provision of rapidly deployable temporary showering structures, with accompanying decontamination protocols.  In this paper we review decontamination guidance for emergency responders and associated research evidence, in order to establish to what extent psychosocial aspects of casualty management have been considered within these documents. The review focuses on five psychosocial aspects of incident management: likely public behaviour; responder management style; communication strategy; privacy/ modesty concerns; and vulnerable groups. Methods: Two structured literature reviews were carried out; one to identify decontamination guidance documents for first responders, and another to identify evidence which is relevant to the understanding of the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination.  The guidance documents and relevant research were reviewed to identify whether the guidance documents contain information relating to psychosocial issues and where it exists, that the guidance is consistent with the existing evidence-base. Results: Psychosocial aspects of incident management receive limited attention in current decontamination guidance.  In addition, our review has identified a number of gaps and inconsistencies between guidance and research evidence.  For each of the five areas we identify: what is currently presented in guidance documents, to what extent this is consistent with the existing research evidence and where it diverges.  We present a series of evidence-based recommendations for updating decontamination guidance to address the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination. Conclusions: Effective communication and respect for casualties’ needs are critical in ensuring decontamination is completed quickly and effectively.  We identify a number of areas requiring further research including: identifying effective methods for communicating in an emergency; better understanding of the needs of vulnerable groups during decontamination; effective training for emergency responders on psychosocial issues, and pre-incident public education for incidents involving emergency decontamination.  It is essential that the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination are not neglected in the pursuit of solely technical solutions. PMID:27790383

Hazard perception, risk perception, and the need for decontamination by residents exposed to soil pollution: the role of sustainability and the limits of expert knowledge.

PubMed

Vandermoere, Frédéric

2008-04-01

This case study examines the hazard and risk perception and the need for decontamination according to people exposed to soil pollution. Using an ecological-symbolic approach (ESA), a multidisciplinary model is developed that draws upon psychological and sociological perspectives on risk perception and includes ecological variables by using data from experts' risk assessments. The results show that hazard perception is best predicted by objective knowledge, subjective knowledge, estimated knowledge of experts, and the assessed risks. However, experts' risk assessments induce an increase in hazard perception only when residents know the urgency of decontamination. Risk perception is best predicted by trust in the risk management. Additionally, need for decontamination relates to hazard perception, risk perception, estimated knowledge of experts, and thoughts about sustainability. In contrast to the knowledge deficit model, objective and subjective knowledge did not significantly relate to risk perception and need for decontamination. The results suggest that residents can make a distinction between hazards in terms of the seriousness of contamination on the one hand, and human health risks on the other hand. Moreover, next to the importance of social determinants of environmental risk perception, this study shows that the output of experts' risk assessments-or the objective risks-can create a hazard awareness rather than an alarming risk consciousness, despite residents' distrust of scientific knowledge.

Cutaneous challenge with chemical warfare agents in the SKH-1 hairless mouse. (I) Development of a model for screening studies in skin decontamination and protection.

PubMed

Dorandeu, F; Taysse, L; Boudry, I; Foquin, A; Hérodin, F; Mathieu, J; Daulon, S; Cruz, C; Lallement, G

2011-06-01

Exposure to lethal chemical warfare agents (CWAs) is no longer only a military issue due to the terrorist threat. Among the CWAs of concern are the organophosphorus nerve agent O-ethyl-S-(2[di-isopropylamino]ethyl)methyl-phosphonothioate (VX) and the vesicant sulfur mustard (SM). Although efficient means of decontamination are available, most of them lose their efficacy when decontamination is delayed after exposure of the bare skin. Alternatively, CWA skin penetration can be prevented by topical skin protectants. Active research in skin protection and decontamination is thus paramount. In vivo screening of decontaminants or skin protectants is usually time consuming and may be expensive depending on the animal species used. We were thus looking for a suitable, scientifically sound and cost-effective model, which is easy to handle. The euthymic hairless mouse Crl: SKH-1 (hr/hr) BR is widely used in some skin studies and has previously been described to be suitable for some experiments involving SM or SM analogs. To evaluate the response of this species, we studied the consequences of exposing male anaesthetized SKH-1 mice to either liquid VX or to SM, the latter being used in liquid form or as saturated vapours. Long-term effects of SM burn were also evaluated. The model was then used in the companion paper (Taysse et al.(1)).

Ethylenediamine grafted to graphene oxide@Fe3O4 for chromium(VI) decontamination: Performance, modelling, and fractional factorial design

PubMed Central

Xu, Jiawen; Wu, Cuiyu; Deng, Jianbin; Liao, Wenwei; Ling, Yuxiang; Yang, Yuanxiu; Zhao, Yina; Zhao, Yunlin; Hu, Xi; Wang, Hui; Liu, Yunguo

2017-01-01

A method for grafting ethylenediamine to a magnetic graphene oxide composite (EDA-GO@Fe3O4) was developed for Cr(VI) decontamination. The physicochemical properties of EDA-GO@Fe3O4 were characterized using HRTEM, EDS, FT-IR, TG-DSC, and XPS. The effects of pH, sorbent dose, foreign anions, time, Cr(VI) concentration, and temperature on decontamination process were studied. The solution pH can largely affect the decontamination process. The pseudo-second-order model is suitable for being applied to fit the adsorption processes of Cr(VI) with GO@Fe3O4 and EDA-GO@Fe3O4. The intra-particle diffusion is not the rate-controlling step. Isotherm experimental data can be described using the Freundlich model. The effects of multiple factors on the Cr(VI) decontamination was investigated by a 25−1 fractional factorial design (FFD). The adsorption process can significantly be affected by the main effects of A (pH), B (Cr(VI) concentration), and E (Adsorbent dose). The combined factors of AB (pH × Cr(VI) concentration), AE (pH × Adsorbent dose), and BC (Cr(VI) concentration × Temperature) had larger effects than other factors on Cr(VI) removal. These results indicated that EDA-GO@Fe3O4 is a potential and suitable candidate for treatment of heavy metal wastewater. PMID:29084287

Improvement of Vivarium Biodecontamination through Data-acquisition Systems and Automation.

PubMed

Devan, Shakthi Rk; Vasu, Suresh; Mallikarjuna, Yogesha; Ponraj, Ramkumar; Kamath, Gireesh; Poosala, Suresh

2018-03-01

Biodecontamination is important for eliminating pathogens at research animal facilities, thereby preventing contamination within barrier systems. We enhanced our facility's standard biodecontamination method to replace the traditional foggers, and the new system was used effectively after creating bypass ducts in HVAC units so that individual rooms could be isolated. The entire system was controlled by inhouse-developed supervisory control and data-acquisition software that supported multiple cycles of decontamination by equipment, which had different decontamination capacities, operated in parallel, and used different agents, including H2O2 vapor and ClO2 gas. The process was validated according to facility mapping, and effectiveness was assessed by using biologic (Geobacillus stearothermophilus) and chemical indicator strips, which were positioned before decontamination, and by sampling contact plates after the completion of each cycle. The results of biologic indicators showed 6-log reduction in microbial counts after successful decontamination cycles for both agents and found to be compatible with clean-room panels including commonly used materials in vivarium such as racks, cages, trolleys, cage changing stations, biosafety cabinets, refrigerators and other equipment in both procedure and animal rooms. In conclusion, the automated process enabled users to perform effective decontamination through multiple cycles with realtime documentation and provided additional capability to deal with potential outbreaks. Enabling software integration of automation improved quality-control systems in our vivarium.

Fumigation of a laboratory-scale HVAC system with hydrogen peroxide for decontamination following a biological contamination incident.

PubMed

Meyer, K M; Calfee, M W; Wood, J P; Mickelsen, L; Attwood, B; Clayton, M; Touati, A; Delafield, R

2014-03-01

To evaluate hydrogen peroxide vapour (H2 O2 ) for its ability to inactivate Bacillus spores within a laboratory-scale heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) duct system. Experiments were conducted in a closed-loop duct system, constructed of either internally lined or unlined galvanized metal. Bacterial spores were aerosol-deposited onto 18-mm-diameter test material coupons and strategically placed at several locations within the duct environment. Various concentrations of H2 O2 and exposure times were evaluated to determine the sporicidal efficacy and minimum exposure needed for decontamination. For the unlined duct, high variability was observed in the recovery of spores between sample locations, likely due to complex, unpredictable flow patterns within the ducts. In comparison, the lined duct exhibited a significant desorption of the H2 O2 following the fumigant dwell period and thus resulted in complete decontamination at all sampling locations. These findings suggest that decontamination of Bacillus spore-contaminated unlined HVAC ducts by hydrogen peroxide fumigation may require more stringent conditions (higher concentrations, longer dwell duration) than internally insulated ductwork. These data may help emergency responders when developing remediation plans during building decontamination. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Decontamination of Explosives-Contaminated Range Scrap Using A Transportable Hot Gas Decontamination (HGD) System: Cost & Performance Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

nonirritating, and a 9-micron diameter fiber nonrespirable, making handling safe and easy. • Basalt Mat, manufactured by BGF Industries (bgf.com). High...temperature mineral wool ( basalt fiber wool) mat blanket good to 1,500oF. Product is still under development as of 2002 but shows promise. 6.3...hazard to range technicians. • The Cerablanket® (manufactured by Thermal Ceramics) contains refractory ceramic fibers , which can potentially cause

Scalable Emergency Response System for Oceangoing Assets. Final Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-20

Developed for platform defense of submarines and surface ships at sea and in port, the iRobot High Speed UUV enables rapid transit with respect to a ... high level decontamination, resulting in a return to port Decision Making Option C is to sealift via decontamination vessel contingent, and perform a ...the world aboard a prepared LCAC.48 A high - speed , over- 47 One Marine’s View. Retrieved from http://www.onemarinesview.com/one_marines_view/2006/09

Development of a Portable Sensitive Equipment Decontamination System. Volume 1: Commercial Candidates Materials Evaluation (Chemical Agent Studies)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

decontaminate chemical and biological agents from sensitive equipment (avionics, electronics, electrical , and environmental systems and equipment...fabricated 2 x 2 in. square, 3/32 in. thick aluminum shims, augmented with electrical tape for added thickness as needed, were used in these tests to make...test coupons, thin custom-fabricated 2x2 in. square x 3/32 in. thick aluminum shims, augmented with electrical tape for added thickness as needed

Decontamination of Fast Reactor Hulls and Properties of Immobilised Waste Forms,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

but the results served as a useful guide for a preliminary experimental study of the decontamination of stainless steel hulls (5)using samples from... Study performed under contract No. 312-83-2WAS. UK as part of the Commission of the European Communrities’ research program on ’Radloacti-.? Waste...development and training effort. Marcn 1986 • . . . . . AERE R 11901 ABSTRACT The studies described in this Report have been carried okst on five

Development of Novel Decontamination and Inerting Techniques for Explosives Contaminated Facilities. Phase 1. Identification and Evaluation of Novel Decontamination Concepts. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

the decomposition reaction (Leider, 1981; Kageyama, 1973; Wolfrom, 1956), 2) Hydrolysis of linkages between glucose units (Urbanski, 1964), 3... dehydration ), 2) Acceleration period (to 50 percent decomposition ), 3) First order reaction rate period. The products of thermal decomposition of...simple mechanism to clean an entire building at once. o Depending on the contaminant, thermal decomposition and or hydrolysis may occur. o May be

Legionnaires' disease as an occupational risk related to decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear disaster: A case report

PubMed Central

Sawano, Toyoaki; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Ozaki, Akihiko; Leppold, Claire; Kato, Shigeaki; Kambe, Toshiyuki

2017-01-01

Objectives: Legionnaires' disease (LD), which is atypical pneumonia with a broad variety of clinical symptoms, can lead to death despite its low incidence. There are multiple risk factors for LD, yet little information is available concerning what kind of environmental factors are linked to higher risk of LD development. We have experienced a fatal case of LD, which occurred in a decontamination worker after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Case: A 53-year-old Japanese male visited our hospital with symptoms of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and altered mental status, but not with respiratory manifestations. He was engaged in decontamination work, which generally includes operations such as the removal of topsoil in mountainous areas and cleaning roads and roofs of residential buildings with high-pressure water. He was required to wear specific equipment to prevent radiation exposure, and lived in a workers' dormitory or shared house, thereby sharing spaces with other workers. Normal antibiotic therapy did not improve his symptoms following his diagnosis with pneumonia. A urinary antigen detection test was then conducted, leading to a diagnosis of LD. Despite the change of antibiotic to levofloxacin, multiple organ failure led to his death. Conclusion: Decontamination workers may be at a high risk for developing LD and living and working conditions among them are possible contributors. PMID:29311436

Application of sorption technique for decontamination of liquid radwaste and natural water from cesium and strontium radionuclides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milyutin, V.V.; Gelis, V.M.; Penzin, R.A.

1995-12-31

In this paper the results obtained in field tests of decontaminating radioactive natural and industrial solutions of different chemical and radionuclide composition from cesium and strontium radionuclides are reported. Decontamination of industrial reservoir water at the Production Association Mayak (Chelyabinsk Region, Russia) was performed using CMP synthetic zeolite. Efficient decontamination of the feed water is achieved after preliminary precipitation of hardness salts in the form of carbonates. Decontamination of water from the pool for spent fuel element storage from {sup 137}Cs was conducted using NGA ferricyanide sorbent. Decontamination factors with respect to {sup 137}Cs of 400 have been reached, themore » installation throughput being 100,000 by (bed volumes). Decontamination of liquid radwaste at Murmansk Shipping Co was conducted with CFB, CMP synthetic zeolites and NGA ferricyanide sorbent as well. Decontamination of D and D solutions and wastes of the special laundry resulted in decontamination factors within the range of 20--400, 10--100, and 10--30 with respect to {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, and total {beta}-activity, respectively. Installation throughput of 3,000--5,000 bv for zeolites and 8,000--10,000 bv for ferrocyanide sorbents has been reached. Results obtained prove the high efficiency of sorption technique for decontaminating solutions from cesium and strontium radionuclides.« less

RSDL decontamination of human skin contaminated with the nerve agent VX.

PubMed

Thors, L; Lindberg, S; Johansson, S; Koch, B; Koch, M; Hägglund, L; Bucht, A

2017-03-05

Dermal exposure to low volatile organophosphorus compounds (OPC) may lead to penetration through the skin and uptake in the blood circulation. Skin decontamination of toxic OPCs, such as pesticides and chemical warfare nerve agents, might therefore be crucial for mitigating the systemic toxicity following dermal exposure. Reactive skin decontamination lotion (RSDL) has been shown to reduce toxic effects in animals dermally exposed to the nerve agent VX. In the present study, an in vitro flow-through diffusion cell was utilized to evaluate the efficacy of RSDL for decontamination of VX exposed to human epidermis. In particular, the impact of timing in the initiation of decontamination and agent dilution in water was studied. The impact of the lipophilic properties of VX in the RSDL decontamination was additionally addressed by comparing chemical degradation in RSDL and decontamination efficacy between the VX and the hydrophilic OPC triethyl phosphonoacetate (TEPA). The epidermal membrane was exposed to 20, 75 or 90% OPC diluted in deionized water and the decontamination was initiated 5, 10, 30, 60 or 120min post-exposure. Early decontamination of VX with RSDL, initiated 5-10min after skin exposure, was very effective. Delayed decontamination initiated 30-60min post-exposure was less effective but still the amount of penetrated agent was significantly reduced, while further delayed start of decontamination to 120min resulted in very low efficacy. Comparing RSDL decontamination of VX with that of TEPA showed that the decontamination efficacy at high agent concentrations was higher for VX. The degradation mechanism of VX and TEPA during decontamination was dissected by 31 P NMR spectroscopy of the OPCs following reactions with RSDL and its three nucleophile components. The degradation rate was clearly associated with the high pH of the specific solution investigated; i.e. increased pH resulted in a more rapid degradation. In addition, the solubility of the OPC in RSDL also influenced the degradation rate since the degradation of VX was significantly faster when the NMR analysis was performed in the organic solvent acetonitrile compared to water. In conclusion, we have applied the in vitro flow-through diffusion cell for evaluation of skin decontamination procedures of human epidermis exposed to OPCs. It was demonstrated that early decontamination is crucial for efficient mitigation of epidermal penetration of VX and that almost complete removal of the nerve agent from the skin surface is possible. Our data also indicate that the pH of RSDL together with the solubility of OPC in RSDL are of primary importance for the decontamination efficacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gross decontamination experiment report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mason, R.; Kinney, K.; Dettorre, J.

1983-07-01

A Gross Decontamination Experiment was conducted on various levels and surfaces of the TMI - Unit 2 reactor building in March 1982. The polar crane, D-rings, missile shields, refueling canals, refueling bridges, equipment, and elevations 305' and 347'-6'' were flushed with low pressure water. Additionally, floor surfaces on elevation 305' and floor surfaces and major pieces of equipment on elevation 347'-6'' were sprayed with high pressure water. Selective surfaces were decontaminated with a mechanical scrubber and chemicals. Strippable coating was tested and evaluated on equipment and floor surfaces. The effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of several decontamination techniques were established formore » the large, complex decontamination effort. Various decontamination equipment was evaluated and its effectiveness was documented. Decontamination training and procedures were documented and evaluated, as were the support system and organization for the experiment.« less

46 CFR 154.1410 - Decontamination shower.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Decontamination shower. 154.1410 Section 154.1410... Equipment § 154.1410 Decontamination shower. When Table 4 references this section, a vessel carrying the listed cargo must have a decontamination shower and an eye wash that: (a) Are on the weatherdeck; and (b...

46 CFR 154.1410 - Decontamination shower.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Decontamination shower. 154.1410 Section 154.1410... Equipment § 154.1410 Decontamination shower. When Table 4 references this section, a vessel carrying the listed cargo must have a decontamination shower and an eye wash that: (a) Are on the weatherdeck; and (b...

Results of chemical decontamination of DOE`s uranium-enrichment scrap metal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levesque, R.G.

1997-02-01

The CORPEX{reg_sign} Nuclear Decontamination Processes were used to decontaminate representative scrap metal specimens obtained from the existing scrap metal piles located at the Department of Energy (DOE) Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), Piketon, Ohio. In September 1995, under contract to Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, MELE Associates, Inc. performed the on-site decontamination demonstration. The decontamination demonstration proved that significant amounts of the existing DOE scrap metal can be decontaminated to levels where the scrap metal could be economically released by DOE for beneficial reuse. This simple and environmentally friendly process can be used as an alternative, or in addition to, smeltingmore » radiologically contaminated scrap metal.« less

Decontamination work in the area surrounding Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant: another occupational health challenge of the nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Yoshikawa, Toru; Murata, Masaru

2012-01-01

This article describes occupational health measures for workers involved in decontamination of radioactive material discharged around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant after the explosions in 2011. Decontamination is performed by removing radioactive particles (mainly cesium) from surfaces of soil, grass and trees, and buildings. Measurement of radiation doses is necessary to reduce exposure, and to determine whether workers can work below dose limits. Protective equipment for decontamination is determined based on the concentration of radiation in contaminated soil and the exposure to dust. Health examinations by physicians are mandated for decontamination workers upon hiring and every 6 months. While there is no possibility of acute radiation injury from decontamination, workers may be anxious about the unclear effects of chronic low level radiation exposure on health. Measures to protect the decontamination workers are the top priority.

HEU Holdup Measurements on 321-M A-Lathe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dewberry, R.A.

The Analytical Development Section of SRTC was requested by the Facilities Disposition Division (FDD) of the Savannah River Site to determine the holdup of enriched uranium in the 321-M facility as part of an overall deactivation project of the facility. The 321-M facility was used to fabricate enriched uranium fuel assemblies, lithium-aluminum target tubes, neptunium assemblies, and miscellaneous components for the production reactors. The results of the holdup assays are essential for determining compliance with the solid waste Waste Acceptance Criteria, Material Control and Accountability, and to meet criticality safety controls. Three measurement systems were used to determine highly enrichedmore » uranium (HEU) holdup. This report covers holdup measurements on the A-Lathe that was used to machine uranium-aluminum-alloy (U-Al). Our results indicated that the lathe contained more than the limits stated in the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) for the solid waste E-Area Vaults. Thus the lathe was decontaminated three times and assayed four times in order to bring the amounts of uranium to an acceptable content. This report will discuss the methodology, Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) measurements, and results of the U-235 holdup on the lathe.« less

Process for decontaminating radioactive liquids using a calcium cyanamide-containing composition. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Silver, G.L.

1980-09-24

The present invention provides a process for decontaminating a radioactive liquid containing a radioactive element capable of forming a hydroxide. This process includes the steps of contacting the radioactive liquid with a decontaminating composition and separating the resulting radioactive sludge from the resulting liquid. The decontaminating composition contains calcium cyanamide.

Chemical analysis of bleach and hydroxide-based solutions after decontamination of the chemical warfare agent O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX).

PubMed

Hopkins, F B; Gravett, M R; Self, A J; Wang, M; Chua, Hoe-Chee; Hoe-Chee, C; Lee, H S Nancy; Sim, N Lee Hoi; Jones, J T A; Timperley, C M; Riches, J R

2014-08-01

Detailed chemical analysis of solutions used to decontaminate chemical warfare agents can be used to support verification and forensic attribution. Decontamination solutions are amongst the most difficult matrices for chemical analysis because of their corrosive and potentially emulsion-based nature. Consequently, there are relatively few publications that report their detailed chemical analysis. This paper describes the application of modern analytical techniques to the analysis of decontamination solutions following decontamination of the chemical warfare agent O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX). We confirm the formation of N,N-diisopropylformamide and N,N-diisopropylamine following decontamination of VX with hypochlorite-based solution, whereas they were not detected in extracts of hydroxide-based decontamination solutions by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We report the electron ionisation and chemical ionisation mass spectroscopic details, retention indices, and NMR spectra of N,N-diisopropylformamide and N,N-diisopropylamine, as well as analytical methods suitable for their analysis and identification in solvent extracts and decontamination residues.

West Valley feasibility study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pirro, J.

This report presents the results of a technical assessment of decontamination alternative prepared for the Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). The purpose of the assessment is to determine the recommended method for decontamination of cell surfaces and decontamination and removal of fuel reprocessing cell equipment to permit manual entry into the cells for the installation of waste solidification equipment. The primary cells of interest are the PMC, GPC, and CPC because they offer the largest usable volume for the solidification program. The secondary cells include XC-1, XC-2, XC-3 and the PPC which may be needed to support themore » solidification program. Five decontamination assessments were evaluated (A-E). The assessments included the estimated cost, occupational exposure, duration, manpower, waste volume generated, and final cell radiation levels achieved with the alternative decontamination methods. The methods varied from thorough destructive decontamination to equipment removal without decontamination followed by cell wall and floor decontamination. The recommended method for the primary cells is to utilize the remote manipulators and cranes to the maximum extent possible to decontaminate equipment and cell surfaces remotely, and to remove the equipment for temporary on-site storage. The recommended method for secondary cell decontamination is to remotely decontaminate the cells to the maximum extent possible prior to manned entry for contact-removal of the fuel reprocessing equipment (Assessment D). Assessment A is expected to cost $8,713,500 in 1980 dollars (including a 25% contingency) and will result in an occupational exposure of 180.3 manRem. Assessment D is expected to cost $11,039,800 and will result in an occupational exposure of 259 manRems.« less

Development of Novel Decontamination Techniques for Chemical Agents (GB, VX, HD) Contaminated Facilities. Phase I. Identification and Evaluation of Novel Decontamination Concepts. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

ACTIVITY . . . . . . 4 3.0 PHASE I RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3.1 RESOURCE REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 ŗ.1.1 Surveys...commonly known as mustard, is a vesicant while VX and GB are organophosphorus compounds which act as anticholinesterases . HD Cl-( CH)-S-(CH- );cI 0...order to satisfy the task objective, work during this phase . consisted of three principal interrelated activities . The goal of the first activity was

Composition of CBRN Decontamination Effluent and Development of Surrogate Mixtures for Testing Effluent Treatment Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

possible, the site around the wash stations is graded to allow the wash water to run off to a pit, where it can seep into the earth or be collected...Caustic soda solution Radioisotopes /Nuclear Residuals Soap with warm water DS2 = Decontamination Solution 2 STB = Super Tropical bleach HTH = High... DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

Development of a universal solvent for the decontamination of acidic liquid radioactive wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, T. A.; Brewer, K. N.; Law, J. D.; Wood, D. J.; Herbest, R. S.; Romanovskiy, V. N.; Esimantovskiy, V. M.; Smirnov, I. V.; Babain, V. A.

1999-01-01

A teritiary solvent containing chlorinated cobalt dicarbollide, polyethylene glycol and diphenylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide was evaluated in different non-nitroaromatic diluents for the separation of cesium, strontium, actinides and rare earth elements from acidic liquid radioactive waste. Decontamination factors of >95% for Cs, 99.7% for Sr, and 99.99% for actinides were achieved in four successive batch contacts using actual radioactive waste. Pilot plant testing in centrifugal contactors using simulated wastes, has demonstrated removal of >99% of all targeted ions.

Methods of preventing bacterial sepsis and wound complications after liver transplantation.

PubMed

Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Nagendran, Myura; Davidson, Brian R

2014-03-05

Bacterial sepsis and wound complications after liver transplantation increase mortality, morbidity, or hospital stay and are likely to increase overall transplant costs. All liver transplantation patients receive antibiotic prophylaxis. This is an update of our 2008 Cochrane systematic review on the same topic in which we identified seven randomised clinical trials. To assess the benefits and harms of different methods aimed at preventing bacterial sepsis and wound complications in people undergoing liver transplantation. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index Expanded to February 2013. We included only randomised clinical trials irrespective of language or publication status. We excluded quasi-randomised and other observational studies for assessment of benefits, but not for harms. Two review authors collected the data independently. We calculated the risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using fixed-effect and the random-effects models based on available-case analysis. We identified only seven trials for inclusion, including 614 participants. Only one trial was of low risk of bias risk. Overall, the quality of evidence was very low. There were five comparisons in the seven trials: selective bowel decontamination versus inactive control; selective bowel decontamination versus prebiotics with probiotics; selective bowel decontamination versus prebiotics; prebiotics with probiotics versus prebiotics; and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) versus control. Four trials compared selective bowel decontamination versus placebo or no treatment. In one trial, participants were randomised to selective bowel decontamination, active lactobacillus with fibres (probiotic with prebiotic), or to inactivated lactobacillus with fibres (prebiotic). In one trial, active lactobacillus with fibres (probiotic with prebiotic) was compared with inactive lactobacillus with fibres (prebiotic). In the remaining trial, different doses of G-CSF and placebo were compared. There was no trial comparing different antibiotic prophylactic regimens in people undergoing liver transplantation. Most trials included adults undergoing elective liver transplantation. There was no significant difference in proportion of people who died or required retransplantation between the intervention and control groups in any of the five comparison groups. MORTALITY There were no differences between 190 participants (three trials); 5/87 (adjusted proportion: 6.2%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 7/103 (6.8%) in inactive control group; RR 0.91 (95% CI 0.31 to 2.72); 63 participants (one trial); 0/32 (0%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 0/31 (0%) in prebiotics with probiotics group; RR - not estimable; 64 participants (one trial); 0/32 (0%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 0/32 (0%) in prebiotics group; RR - not estimable; 129 participants (two trials); 0/64 (0%) in prebiotics with probiotics group versus 0/65 (0%) in prebiotics group; RR - not estimable; and 194 participants (one trial); 22/124 (17.7%) in G-CSF group versus 10/70 (14.3%) in placebo group; RR 1.24 (95% 0.62 to 2.47). RETRANSPLANTATION There were no differences between 132 participants (two trials); 4/58 (adjusted proportion: 6.9%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 6/74 (8.1%) in inactive control group; RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.26 to 2.85); 63 participants (one trial); 1/32 (3.1%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 0/31 (0%) in prebiotics with probiotics group; RR 2.91 (0.12 to 68.81); 64 participants (one trial); 1/32 (3.1%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 0/32 (0%) in prebiotics group; RR 3.00 (95% CI 0.13 to 71.00); 129 participants (two trials); 0/64 (0%) in prebiotics with probiotics group versus 1/65 (1.5%) in prebiotics group; RR 0.33 (95% CI 0.01 to 7.9); and 194 participants (one trial); 10/124 (7.1%) in G-CSF group versus 5/70 (7.1%) in placebo group; RR 1.13 (95% CI 0.4 to 3.17).There was no significant difference in the graft rejections, intensive therapy unit stay, or hospital stay between the intervention and control groups in any of the comparisons. Overall, 193/611 participants (31.6%) developed infective complications. The proportion of people who developed infective complications and the number of infective complication episodes were significantly higher in the selective bowel decontamination group than in the prebiotics with probiotics group (1 study; 63 participants; 15/32 (46.9%) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 4/31 (12.9%) in prebiotics with probiotics group; RR 3.63; 95% CI 1.36 to 9.74 and 23/32 participants (0.72 infective complications per participant) in selective bowel decontamination group versus 4/31 participants (0.13 infective complications per participant) in prebiotics with probiotics group; rate ratio 5.58; 95% CI 1.94 to 16.09). There was no significant difference between the proportion of participants who developed infection and the number of infection episodes between the intervention group and control group in any of the other comparisons.No trials reported quality of life and overall serious adverse events. Currently, there is no clear evidence for any intervention offering significant benefits in the reduction of bacterial infections and wound complications in liver transplantation. Selective bowel decontamination may even increase the rate of infections compared with prebiotics with probiotics. The confidence intervals were wide and further randomised clinical trials of low risk of bias are necessary.

Efficacy studies of Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion, M291 Skin Decontamination Kit, 0.5% bleach, 1% soapy water, and Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents, part 2: guinea pigs challenged with soman.

PubMed

Braue, Ernest H; Smith, Kelly H; Doxzon, Bryce F; Lumpkin, Horace L; Clarkson, Edward D

2011-03-01

This report, the second in a series of five, directly compares the efficacy of Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL), the M291 Skin Decontamination Kit (SDK), 0.5% bleach (sodium or calcium hypochlorite solution), 1% soapy water, and Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents (SERPACWA) in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to soman (GD). In all experiments, guinea pigs were close-clipped and given anesthesia. In the decontamination experiments, the animals were challenged with GD and decontaminated after a 2-minute delay for the standard procedure or at longer times for the delayed-decontamination experiments. Positive control animals were challenged with GD in the same manner as the treated animals, except that they received no treatment. All animals were observed during the first 4 hours and again at 24 hours after exposure for signs of toxicity and death. The protective ratio (PR, defined as the median lethal dose [LD(50)] of the treatment group divided by the LD(50) of the untreated positive control animals) was calculated from the derived probit dose-response curves established for each treatment group and nontreated control animals. SERPACWA was applied as a thin coating (0.1 mm thick), allowed to dry for 15 minutes, and challenged with GD. After a 2-hour challenge, any remaining GD was blotted off the animal, but no additional decontamination was done. Significance in this report is defined as p <.05. Neat (undiluted) GD was used to challenge all animals in these studies. In the standard 2-minute GD decontamination experiments, the calculated PRs for RSDL, 0.5% bleach, 1% soapy water, and M291 SDK were 14, 2.7, 2.2, and 2.6, respectively. RSDL was by far the most effective decontamination product tested and significantly better than any of the other products. Bleach, soapy water, and the M291 SDK provided equivalent and modest protection. Since only RSDL provided at least good protection (PR > 5), it was the only decontamination product evaluated for delayed decontamination. In the GD delayed-decontamination experiments, the calculated LT(50) (the delayed-decontamination time at which 50% of the animals die in the test population following a 5-LD(50) challenge) value for RSDL was only 4.0 minutes. Several conclusions can be drawn from this study: 1) Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion provided superior protection against GD compared with the other products tested; 2) The 0.5% bleach solution, the 1% soapy water solution, and the M291 SDK were less effective than RSDL, but still provided modest (2 < PR < 5) protection against GD; 3) Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion, the best product tested, did not provide significant protection against GD when decontamination was delayed for more than 3 minutes; 4) Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents provided significant, but modest, protection against GD; 5) There was good correlation between using the rabbit model and the guinea pig model for decontamination efficacy evaluations; and 6) Soman (GD) is an agent of real concern because it is very difficult to decontaminate and the effects of exposure are difficult to treat.

Decontamination of VX, GD, and HD on a surface using modified vaporized hydrogen peroxide.

PubMed

Wagner, George W; Sorrick, David C; Procell, Lawrence R; Brickhouse, Mark D; Mcvey, Iain F; Schwartz, Lewis I

2007-01-30

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) has proven efficacy for biological decontamination and is a common gaseous sterilant widely used by industry. Regarding chemical warfare agent decontamination, VHP is also effective against HD and VX, but not GD. Simple addition of ammonia gas to VHP affords reactivity toward GD, while maintaining efficacy for HD (and bioagents) and further enhancing efficacy for VX. Thus, modified VHP is a broad-spectrum CB decontaminant suitable for fumigant-type decontamination scenarios, i.e., building, aircraft, and vehicle interiors and sensitive equipment. Finally, as an interesting aside to the current study, commercial ammonia-containing cleaners are also shown to be effective surface decontaminants for GD, but not for VX or HD.

Decontamination of Soil Contaminated with Bacillus anthracis ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technical Brief This technical summary will provide decontamination personnel rapid access to information on which decontamination approaches are most effective for soils contaminated with B anthracis.

Decontamination & decommissioning focus area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-08-01

In January 1994, the US Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE EM) formally introduced its new approach to managing DOE`s environmental research and technology development activities. The goal of the new approach is to conduct research and development in critical areas of interest to DOE, utilizing the best talent in the Department and in the national science community. To facilitate this solutions-oriented approach, the Office of Science and Technology (EM-50, formerly the Office of Technology Development) formed five Focus AReas to stimulate the required basic research, development, and demonstration efforts to seek new, innovative cleanup methods. In Februarymore » 1995, EM-50 selected the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) to lead implementation of one of these Focus Areas: the Decontamination and Decommissioning (D & D) Focus Area.« less

Oxidative decontamination of chemical and biological warfare agents using L-Gel.

PubMed

Raber, Ellen; McGuire, Raymond

2002-08-05

A decontamination method has been developed using a single reagent that is effective both against chemical warfare (CW) and biological warfare (BW) agents. The new reagent, "L-Gel", consists of an aqueous solution of a mild commercial oxidizer, Oxone, together with a commercial fumed silica gelling agent, Cab-O-Sil EH-5. L-Gel is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, relatively non-corrosive, maximizes contact time because of its thixotropic nature, clings to walls and ceilings, and does not harm carpets or painted surfaces. The new reagent also addresses the most demanding requirements for decontamination in the civilian sector, including availability, low maintenance, ease of application and deployment by a variety of dispersal mechanisms, minimal training and acceptable expense. Experiments to test the effectiveness of L-Gel were conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and independently at four other locations. L-Gel was tested against all classes of chemical warfare agents and against various biological warfare agent surrogates, including spore-forming bacteria and non-virulent strains of real biological agents. Testing showed that L-Gel is as effective against chemical agents and biological materials, including spores, as the best military decontaminants.

National demonstration of full reactor coolant system (RCS) chemical decontamination at Indian Point 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trovato, S.A.; Parry, J.O.

1995-03-01

Key to the safe and efficient operation of the nation`s civilian nuclear power plants is the performance of maintenance activities within regulations and guidelines for personnel radiation exposure. However, maintenance activities, often performed in areas of relatively high radiation fields, will increase as the nation`s plant age. With the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) lowering the allowable radiation exposure to plant workers in 1994 and considering further reductions and regulations in the future, it is imperative that new techniques be developed and applied to reduce personnel exposure. Full primary system chemical decontamination technology offers the potential to be single most effectivemore » method of maintaining workers exposure {open_quotes}as low as reasonably achievable{close_quotes} (ALARA) while greatly reducing plant operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. A three-phase program underway since 1987, has as its goal to demonstrate that full RCS decontamination is a visible technology to reduce general plant radiation levels without threatening the long term reliability and operability of a plant. This paper discusses research leading to and plans for a National Demonstration of Full RCS Chemical Decontamination at Indian Point 2 nuclear generating station in 1995.« less

Klebsiella Pneumoniae sepsis deteriorated by uncontrolled underlying disease in a decontamination worker in Fukushima, Japan

PubMed Central

Sawano, Toyoaki; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Leppold, Claire; Ozaki, Akihiko; Fujioka, Sho; Nemoto, Tsuyoshi; Kato, Shigeaki; Oikawa, Tomoyoshi; Kanazawa, Yukio

2016-01-01

Objectives: Patients with underlying conditions are at a higher risk of developing sepsis, a systematic response to infection, which has a high mortality rate. After the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, there has been an influx of migrant decontamination workers; however, little is known about their health status. Case: A Japanese 55-year-old male decontamination worker, who had several underlying diseases, was transferred to our hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest. He had a history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension and a past history of tuberculosis. Control of underlying conditions was poor, with HbA1c of 13.8% at presentation. He was diagnosed with pneumonia-induced bacteremia and sepsis due to Klebsiella pneumoniae. Although spontaneous circulation returned in emergency room, he died a day after admission. Conclusion: The poor control of underlying diseases seen in this patient could have been influenced by his recent job transfer and engagement in decontamination work and additionally related to his socioeconomic status (SES). This case highlights the need for further research to elucidate the underlying diseases, working conditions, and SES of this population. PMID:27108638

Radiation decontamination unit for the community hospital.

PubMed

Waldron, R L; Danielson, R A; Shultz, H E; Eckert, D E; Hendricks, K O

1981-05-01

"Freestanding" radiation decontamination units including surgical capability can be developed and made operational in small/medium sized community hospitals at relatively small cost and with minimal plant reconstruction. Because of the development of nuclear power plants in relatively remote areas and widespread transportation of radioactive materials it is important for hospitals and physicians to be prepared to handle radiation accident victims. The Radiological Assistance Program of the United States Department of Energy and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center Training Site of Oak Ridge Associated Universities are ready to support individual hospitals and physicians in this endeavor. Adequate planning rather than luck, should be used in dealing with potential radiation accident victims. The radiation emergency team is headed by a physician on duty in the hospital. It is important that the team leader be knowledgeable in radiation accident management and have personnel trained in radiation accident management as members of this team. The senior administrative person on duty is responsible for intramural and extramural communications. Rapid mobilization of the radiation decontamination unit is important. Periodic drills are necessary for this mobilization and the smooth operation of the unit.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Consequence Management: Ways to Improve Fixed-Site Decontamination Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-10

objective is achieved through consequence management and fixed-site decontamination operations. The effectiveness of CBRN consequence management...decontamination operations. The effectiveness of CBRN consequence management and fixed-site decontamination executed in the Joint Security Area can be...when faced with Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear (CBRN) contaminated ports of debarkation. The effectiveness of CBRN consequence

Benefits of automated surface decontamination of a radioiodine ward.

PubMed

Westcott, Eliza; Broadhurst, Alicia; Crossley, Steven; Lee, Lloyd; Phan, Xuyen; Scharli, Rainer; Xu, Yan

2012-02-01

A floor-washing robot has been acquired to assist physicists with decontamination of radioiodine therapy ward rooms after discharge of the patient at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. The effectiveness of the robot in decontaminating the ward has been evaluated. A controlled experiment was performed by deliberately contaminating a polyvinyl chloride flooring offcut with 131I followed by automated decontamination with the robot. The extent of fixed and removable contamination was assessed before and after decontamination by two methods: (1) direct Geiger-Mueller counting and (2) beta-counting wipe tests. Surface contamination was also assessed in situ on the ward by Geiger-Mueller counting and wipe testing. Contamination maps confirmed that contamination was removed rather than spread around by the robot. Wipe testing revealed that the robot was successful in clearing approximately 60-80% of removable contamination. The robotic floor-washing device was considered suitable to provide effective automated decontamination of the radioiodine ward. In addition, the robot affords other benefits: the time spent by the physicists decontaminating the room is greatly reduced offering financial and occupational safety and health benefits. The robot has also found utility in other decontamination applications in the healthcare environment.

Nuclear reactor cooling system decontamination reagent regeneration. [PWR; BWR

DOEpatents

Anstine, L.D.; James, D.B.; Melaika, E.A.; Peterson, J.P. Jr.

1980-06-06

An improved method for decontaminating the coolant system of water-cooled nuclear power reactors and for regenerating the decontamination solution is described. A small amount of one or more weak-acid organic complexing agents is added to the reactor coolant, and the pH is adjusted to form a decontamination solution which is circulated throughout the coolant system to dissolve metal oxides from the interior surfaces and complex the resulting metal ions and radionuclide ions. The coolant containing the complexed metal ions and radionuclide ions is passed through a strong-base anion exchange resin bed which has been presaturated with a solution containing the complexing agents in the same ratio and having the same pH as the decontamination solution. As the decontamination solution passes through the resin bed, metal-complexed anions are exchanged for the metal-ion-free anions on the bed, while metal-ion-free anions in the solution pass through the bed, thus removing the metal ions and regenerating the decontamination solution.

Nuclear reactor cooling system decontamination reagent regeneration

DOEpatents

Anstine, Larry D.; James, Dean B.; Melaika, Edward A.; Peterson, Jr., John P.

1985-01-01

An improved method for decontaminating the coolant system of water-cooled nuclear power reactors and for regenerating the decontamination solution. A small amount of one or more weak-acid organic complexing agents is added to the reactor coolant, and the pH is adjusted to form a decontamination solution which is circulated throughout the coolant system to dissolve metal oxides from the interior surfaces and complex the resulting metal ions and radionuclide ions. The coolant containing the complexed metal ions and radionuclide ions is passed through a strong-base anion exchange resin bed which has been presaturated with a solution containing the complexing agents in the same ratio and having the same pH as the decontamination solution. As the decontamination solution passes through the resin bed, metal-complexed anions are exchanged for the metal-ion-free anions on the bed, while metal-ion-free anions in the solution pass through the bed, thus removing the metal ions and regenerating the decontamination solution.

Decontamination of sludge by the METIX-AC process. Part II: effects on maize growth and bioaccumulation of metals.

PubMed

Barraoui, Driss; Labrecque, Michel; Blais, Jean-François

2008-03-01

Given the fact that, according to our knowledge, no study has compared the agro-environmental use of decontaminated with non-decontaminated sludge, a greenhouse experiment was carried out to test the growth of maize (Zea mays L., G-4011 Hybrid) and bioaccumulation of metals in the presence of four different sludges (MUC, QUC, BEC and DAI), before and after their decontamination by a novel process (METIX-AC). Data showed that decontaminated sludge ameliorated plant growth and biomass production, and decreased bioaccumulation of metals, more than control soil, inorganic chemical fertilization, or conventional non-decontaminated sludge. Since chemicals used by the METIX-AC process contained S and Fe, decontaminated sludge introduced large amounts of these elements, while the overall presence of metals was reduced. Often, sludge dose also affected maize growth and bioaccumulation of metals. Overall, no toxicity to plants was noticed and bioaccumulation and transfer of many metals remained below the limits reported in the literature.

Anthrax Sampling and Decontamination: Technology Trade-Offs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, Phillip N.; Hamachi, Kristina; McWilliams, Jennifer

2008-09-12

The goal of this project was to answer the following questions concerning response to a future anthrax release (or suspected release) in a building: 1. Based on past experience, what rules of thumb can be determined concerning: (a) the amount of sampling that may be needed to determine the extent of contamination within a given building; (b) what portions of a building should be sampled; (c) the cost per square foot to decontaminate a given type of building using a given method; (d) the time required to prepare for, and perform, decontamination; (e) the effectiveness of a given decontamination methodmore » in a given type of building? 2. Based on past experience, what resources will be spent on evaluating the extent of contamination, performing decontamination, and assessing the effectiveness of the decontamination in abuilding of a given type and size? 3. What are the trade-offs between cost, time, and effectiveness for the various sampling plans, sampling methods, and decontamination methods that have been used in the past?« less

Hot, humid air decontamination of a C-130 aircraft contaminated with spores of two acrystalliferous Bacillus thuringiensis strains, surrogates for Bacillus anthracis.

PubMed

Buhr, T L; Young, A A; Bensman, M; Minter, Z A; Kennihan, N L; Johnson, C A; Bohmke, M D; Borgers-Klonkowski, E; Osborn, E B; Avila, S D; Theys, A M G; Jackson, P J

2016-04-01

To develop test methods and evaluate survival of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki cry(-) HD-1 and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam spores after exposure to hot, humid air inside of a C-130 aircraft. Bacillus thuringiensis spores were either pre-inoculated on 1 × 2 or 2 × 2 cm substrates or aerosolized inside the cargo hold of a C-130 and allowed to dry. Dirty, complex surfaces (10 × 10 cm) swabbed after spore dispersal showed a deposition of 8-10 log10 m(-2) through the entire cargo hold. After hot, humid air decontamination at 75-80°C, 70-90% relative humidity for 7 days, 87 of 98 test swabs covering 0·98 m(2) , showed complete spore inactivation. There was a total of 1·67 log10 live CFU detected in 11 of the test swabs. Spore inactivation in the 98 test swabs was measured at 7·06 log10 m(-2) . Laboratory test methods for hot, humid air decontamination were scaled for a large-scale aircraft field test. The C-130 field test demonstrated that hot, humid air can be successfully used to decontaminate an aircraft. Transition of a new technology from research and development to acquisition at a Technology Readiness Level 7 is unprecedented. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Management of Contaminated Autologous Grafts in Plastic Surgery

PubMed Central

Centeno, Robert F; Desai, Ankit R; Watson, Marla E

2008-01-01

Background: Contamination of autologous grafts unfortunately occurs in plastic surgery, but the literature provides no guidance for management of such incidents. Methods: American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery members were asked to complete an online survey that asked about the number and causes of graft contaminations experienced, how surgeons dealt with the problem, the clinical outcomes, and patient disclosure. Results: Nineteen hundred surgeons were asked to participate in the survey, and 223 responded. Of these, 70% had experienced at least 1 graft contamination incident, with 26% experiencing 4 or more. The most frequently reported reason for graft contamination was a graft falling on the floor (reported by 75%). Nearly two thirds of the contaminated grafts related to craniofacial procedures. Ninety-four percent of grafts were managed with decontamination and completion of the operation. The most common method of decontamination was washing with povidone-iodine, but this practice is contrary to recommendations in the literature. Only 3 surgeons (1.9%) said a clinical infection developed following decontaminated graft use. Patients were not informed in 60% of graft contamination incidents. The survey results and review of the literature led to development of algorithms for the management of inadvertent graft contamination and patient disclosure. Conclusions: Although autologous grafts do become contaminated in plastic surgery, the overwhelming majority can be safely decontaminated and produce minimal or no clinical sequelae. The algorithms presented are intended to serve as guides for prevention of contamination events or for their management should they occur. PMID:18496583

Evaluation of the Copan Myco-TB kit for the decontamination of respiratory samples for the detection of Mycobacteria.

PubMed

De Geyter, Deborah; Cnudde, Danny; Van der Beken, Mieke; Autaers, Dorien; Piérard, Denis

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to test a newly developed decontamination and fluidization kit for processing respiratory specimens for the detection of mycobacteria: the Myco-TB procedure (developed by Copan (Brescia, Italy)). This technique was compared with the Zephiran decontamination method in use in our hospital. Respiratory specimens (n = 387: 130 endotracheal/bronchial aspirates, 172 bronchoalveolar lavages and 55 sputa) submitted to the University Hospital of Brussels between January 2016 and March 2017 were included. All samples were divided into two aliquots: one was subjected to the Myco-TB method and one to the Zephiran technique prior to culture. The sensitivities for culture for the Zephiran technique on solid media, the Myco-TB method on solid media and Myco-TB combined with the MGIT™ system were respectively 67%, 87% and 89%. The contamination rates were 22% with both the Zephiran and Myco-TB method on solid media and only 4% with the Myco-TB kit combined with the MGIT™ system. For direct microscopy, the sensitivities of the Zephiran method and the Myco-TB method were equal (40%) when the centrifugation time was 20 min. The Myco-TB decontamination method is easy and rapid to perform. It is more sensitive for culture as compared to the Zephiran method and gives lower contamination levels when combined with the MGIT™ technique. When increasing the centrifugation step to 20 min, the sensitivity of direct microscopy is equal to the Zephiran method.

Filter quality of electret masks in filtering 14.6–594 nm aerosol particles: Effects of five decontamination methods

PubMed Central

Lin, Tzu-Hsien; Chen, Chih-Chieh; Kuo, Chung-Wen

2017-01-01

This study investigates the effects of five decontamination methods on the filter quality (qf) of three commercially available electret masks—N95, Gauze and Spunlace nonwoven masks. Newly developed evaluation methods, the overall filter quality (qf,o) and the qf ratio were applied to evaluate the effectiveness of decontamination methods for respirators. A scanning mobility particle sizer is utilized to measure the concentration of polydispersed particles with diameter 14.6–594 nm. The penetration of particles and pressure drop (Δp) through the mask are used to determine qf and qf,o. Experimental results reveal that the most penetrating particle size (MPS) for the pre-decontaminated N95, Gauze and Spunlace masks were 118 nm, 461 nm and 279 nm, respectively, and the respective penetration rates were 2.6%, 23.2% and 70.0%. The Δp through the pretreated N95 masks was 9.2 mm H2O at the breathing flow rate of heavy-duty workers, exceeding the Δp values obtained through Gauze and Spunlace masks. Decontamination increased the sizes of the most penetrating particles, changing the qf values of all of the masks: qf fell as particle size increased because the penetration increased. Bleach increased the Δp of N95, but destroyed the Gauze mask. However, the use of an autoclave reduces the Δp values of both the N95 and the Gauze mask. Neither the rice cooker nor ethanol altered the Δp of the Gauze mask. Chemical decontamination methods reduced the qf,o values for the three electret masks. The value of qf,o for PM0.1 exceeded that for PM0.1–0.6, because particles smaller than 100 nm had lower penetration, resulting in a better qf for a given pressure drop. The values of qf,o, particularly for PM0.1, reveal that for the tested treatments and masks, physical decontamination methods are less destructive to the filter than chemical methods. Nevertheless, when purchasing new or reusing FFRs, penetration should be regarded as the priority. PMID:29023492

Reducing persistent organic pollutants while maintaining long chain omega-3 fatty acid in farmed Atlantic salmon using decontaminated fish oils for an entire production cycle.

PubMed

Berntssen, M H G; Olsvik, P A; Torstensen, B E; Julshamn, K; Midtun, T; Goksøyr, A; Johansen, J; Sigholt, T; Joerum, N; Jakobsen, J-V; Lundebye, A-K; Lock, E-J

2010-09-01

Oily fish are an important source of health promoting nutrients such as the very long chain marine omega-3 (VLC-n3) fatty acids and simultaneously a source of potentially hazardous contaminants. Fish oils that are used in fish feed are the main source for both contaminants and VLC-n3. Decontamination techniques have recently been developed to effectively remove persistent organic contaminants from fish oils. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of potentially hazardous contaminants and the health beneficial fatty acids in Atlantic salmon reared on novel decontaminated feeds. Atlantic salmon were fed for 18 months (an entire seawater production cycle) on diets based on decontaminated or non-treated (control) fish oils until market size (approximately 5 kg). The level of known notorious persistent organic pollutants (POPs, i.e. dioxins, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), non dioxin-like PCBs, poly brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), and organochlorine pesticides), as well as fatty acid composition were analysed in fish oils, the two diets, and Atlantic salmon fillet. The oil decontamination process was a two-step procedure using active carbon and short path distillation. The fillet levels of POPs in market size fish were reduced by 68-85% while the concentration of very long chain omega-3 fatty acids was reduced by 4-7%. No differences in biomarkers of dioxin-like component exposures, such as hepatic gene expression of CYP1A or AhR2B, CYP1A protein expression and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, were observed between salmon raised on normal or decontaminated feeds, thus indicating that the difference in POPs levels were of no biological significance to the fish. Atlantic salmon reared on decontaminated feeds had sum polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and DL-PCB concentrations that were comparable with terrestrial food products such as beef, while the level of marine omega-3 fatty acids remained as high as for commercially farmed Atlantic salmon. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro skin decontamination of the organophosphorus pesticide Paraoxon with nanometric cerium oxide CeO2.

PubMed

Salerno, Alicia; Devers, Thierry; Bolzinger, Marie-Alexandrine; Pelletier, Jocelyne; Josse, Denis; Briançon, Stéphanie

2017-04-01

Organophosphorus compounds (OP), which mainly penetrate via the percutaneous pathway, represent a threat for both military and civilians. Body surface decontamination is vital to prevent victims poisoning. The development of a cost-effective formulation, which could be efficient and easy to handle in case of mass contamination, is therefore crucial. Metal oxides nanoparticles, due their large surface areas and the large amount of highly reactive sites, present high reactivity towards OP. First, this study aimed at evaluating the reaction of CeO 2 nanoparticles, synthetized by microwave path and calcined at 500 or 600 °C, with Paraoxon (POX) in aqueous solution. Results showed that both nanoparticles degraded 60%-70% of POX. CeO 2 calcined at 500 °C, owing to its larger specific area, was the most effective. Moreover, the degradation was significantly increased under Ultra-Violet irradiation (initial degradation rate doubled). Then, skin decontamination was studied in vitro using the Franz cell method with pig-ear skin samples. CeO 2 powder and an aqueous suspension of CeO 2 (CeO 2 -W) were applied 1 h after POX exposure. The efficiency of decontamination, including removal and/or degradation of POX, was compared to Fuller's earth (FE) and RSDL lotion which are, currently, the most efficient systems for skin decontamination. CeO 2 -W and RSDL were the most efficient to remove POX from the skin surface and decrease skin absorption by 6.4 compared to the control not decontaminated. FE reduced significantly (twice) the absorbed fraction of POX, contrarily to CeO 2 powder. Considering only the degradation rate of POX, the products ranged in the order CeO 2  > RSDL > CeO 2 -W > FE (no degradation). This study showed that CeO 2 nanoparticles are a promising material for skin decontamination of OP if formulated as a dispersion able to remove POX like CeO 2 -W and to degrade it as CeO 2 powder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

CBRN Decontamination: Multiservice Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Decontamination

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

b. Principles of Decontamination Operations. Decontaminate immediately for an agent on the skin . Perform higher levels of decontamination as a...the mask and hood with paper towels or rags. NOTE: Cool, soapy water is not as effective for removing contamination, but it can be used if you scrub ...N/A N/A 5 N/A Sponge, cellulose II Each As required N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A 4 6 Brush, scrub II Each As required N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A 2 N/A Towels

Extraction of Aerosol-Deposited Yersinia pestis from Indoor Surfaces To Determine Bacterial Environmental Decay.

PubMed

Gut, Ian M; Bartlett, Ryan A; Yeager, John J; Leroux, Brian; Ratnesar-Shumate, Shanna; Dabisch, Paul; Karaolis, David K R

2016-05-01

Public health and decontamination decisions following an event that causes indoor contamination with a biological agent require knowledge of the environmental persistence of the agent. The goals of this study were to develop methods for experimentally depositing bacteria onto indoor surfaces via aerosol, evaluate methods for sampling and enumerating the agent on surfaces, and use these methods to determine bacterial surface decay. A specialized aerosol deposition chamber was constructed, and methods were established for reproducible and uniform aerosol deposition of bacteria onto four coupon types. The deposition chamber facilitated the control of relative humidity (RH; 10 to 70%) following particle deposition to mimic the conditions of indoor environments, as RH is not controlled by standard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Extraction and culture-based enumeration methods to quantify the viable bacteria on coupons were shown to be highly sensitive and reproducible. To demonstrate the usefulness of the system for decay studies,Yersinia pestis persistence as a function of surface type at 21 °C and 40% RH was determined to be >40%/min for all surfaces. Based upon these results, at typical indoor temperature and RH, a 6-log reduction in titer would expected to be achieved within 1 h as the result of environmental decay on surfaces without active decontamination. The developed approach will facilitate future persistence and decontamination studies with a broad range of biological agents and surfaces, providing agent decay data to inform both assessments of risk to personnel entering a contaminated site and decontamination decisions following biological contamination of an indoor environment. Public health and decontamination decisions following contamination of an indoor environment with a biological agent require knowledge of the environmental persistence of the agent. Previous studies on Y. pestis persistence have utilized large liquid droplet deposition to provide persistence data. As a result, methods were developed to deposit aerosols containing bacteria onto indoor surfaces, reproducibly enumerate bacteria harvested from coupons, and determine surface decay utilizing Y. pestis The results of this study provide foundational methods required to evaluate surface decay of bacteria and potentially other biological agents, such as viruses, in aerosol particles as a function of surface type and environment. Integrating the data from both aerosol and liquid deposition surface decay studies will provide medical and public health personnel with a more complete understanding of agent persistence on surfaces in contaminated areas for assessment of health risks and to inform decontamination decisions. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Extraction of Aerosol-Deposited Yersinia pestis from Indoor Surfaces To Determine Bacterial Environmental Decay

PubMed Central

Bartlett, Ryan A.; Yeager, John J.; Leroux, Brian; Ratnesar-Shumate, Shanna; Dabisch, Paul

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Public health and decontamination decisions following an event that causes indoor contamination with a biological agent require knowledge of the environmental persistence of the agent. The goals of this study were to develop methods for experimentally depositing bacteria onto indoor surfaces via aerosol, evaluate methods for sampling and enumerating the agent on surfaces, and use these methods to determine bacterial surface decay. A specialized aerosol deposition chamber was constructed, and methods were established for reproducible and uniform aerosol deposition of bacteria onto four coupon types. The deposition chamber facilitated the control of relative humidity (RH; 10 to 70%) following particle deposition to mimic the conditions of indoor environments, as RH is not controlled by standard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Extraction and culture-based enumeration methods to quantify the viable bacteria on coupons were shown to be highly sensitive and reproducible. To demonstrate the usefulness of the system for decay studies, Yersinia pestis persistence as a function of surface type at 21°C and 40% RH was determined to be >40%/min for all surfaces. Based upon these results, at typical indoor temperature and RH, a 6-log reduction in titer would expected to be achieved within 1 h as the result of environmental decay on surfaces without active decontamination. The developed approach will facilitate future persistence and decontamination studies with a broad range of biological agents and surfaces, providing agent decay data to inform both assessments of risk to personnel entering a contaminated site and decontamination decisions following biological contamination of an indoor environment. IMPORTANCE Public health and decontamination decisions following contamination of an indoor environment with a biological agent require knowledge of the environmental persistence of the agent. Previous studies on Y. pestis persistence have utilized large liquid droplet deposition to provide persistence data. As a result, methods were developed to deposit aerosols containing bacteria onto indoor surfaces, reproducibly enumerate bacteria harvested from coupons, and determine surface decay utilizing Y. pestis. The results of this study provide foundational methods required to evaluate surface decay of bacteria and potentially other biological agents, such as viruses, in aerosol particles as a function of surface type and environment. Integrating the data from both aerosol and liquid deposition surface decay studies will provide medical and public health personnel with a more complete understanding of agent persistence on surfaces in contaminated areas for assessment of health risks and to inform decontamination decisions. PMID:26944839

Development of active porous medium filters based on plasma textiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, Ivan A.; Saveliev, Alexei V.; Rasipuram, Srinivasan; Kuznetsov, Andrey V.; Brown, Alan; Jasper, Warren

2012-05-01

Inexpensive, flexible, washable, and durable materials that serve as antimicrobial filters and self-decontaminating fabrics are needed to provide active protection to people in areas regularly exposed to various biohazards, such as hospitals and bio research labs working with pathogens. Airlines and cruise lines need such material to combat the spread of infections. In households these materials can be used in HVAC filters to fight indoor pollution, which is especially dangerous to people suffering from asthma. Efficient filtering materials are also required in areas contaminated by other types of hazardous dust particulates, such as nuclear dust. The primary idea that guided the undertaken study is that a microplasma-generating structure can be embedded in a textile fabric to generate a plasma sheath ("plasma shield") that kills bacterial agents coming in contact with the fabric. The research resulted in the development of a plasma textile that can be used for producing new types of self-decontaminating garments, fabrics, and filter materials, capable of activating a plasma sheath that would filter, capture, and destroy any bacteriological agent deposited on its surface. This new material relies on the unique antimicrobial and catalytic properties of cold (room temperature) plasma that is benign to people and does not cause thermal damage to many polymer textiles, such as Nomex and polypropylene. The uniqueness of cold plasma as a disinfecting agent lies in the inability of bacteria to develop resistance to plasma exposure, as they can for antibiotics. Plasma textiles could thus be utilized for microbial destruction in active antimicrobial filters (for continuous decontamination and disinfection of large amounts of air) as well as in self-decontaminating surfaces and antibacterial barriers (for example, for creating local antiseptic or sterile environments around wounds and burns).

Development of active porous medium filters based on plasma textiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuznetsov, Ivan A.; Saveliev, Alexei V.; Rasipuram, Srinivasan

2012-05-15

Inexpensive, flexible, washable, and durable materials that serve as antimicrobial filters and self-decontaminating fabrics are needed to provide active protection to people in areas regularly exposed to various biohazards, such as hospitals and bio research labs working with pathogens. Airlines and cruise lines need such material to combat the spread of infections. In households these materials can be used in HVAC filters to fight indoor pollution, which is especially dangerous to people suffering from asthma. Efficient filtering materials are also required in areas contaminated by other types of hazardous dust particulates, such as nuclear dust. The primary idea that guidedmore » the undertaken study is that a microplasma-generating structure can be embedded in a textile fabric to generate a plasma sheath (''plasma shield'') that kills bacterial agents coming in contact with the fabric. The research resulted in the development of a plasma textile that can be used for producing new types of self-decontaminating garments, fabrics, and filter materials, capable of activating a plasma sheath that would filter, capture, and destroy any bacteriological agent deposited on its surface. This new material relies on the unique antimicrobial and catalytic properties of cold (room temperature) plasma that is benign to people and does not cause thermal damage to many polymer textiles, such as Nomex and polypropylene. The uniqueness of cold plasma as a disinfecting agent lies in the inability of bacteria to develop resistance to plasma exposure, as they can for antibiotics. Plasma textiles could thus be utilized for microbial destruction in active antimicrobial filters (for continuous decontamination and disinfection of large amounts of air) as well as in self-decontaminating surfaces and antibacterial barriers (for example, for creating local antiseptic or sterile environments around wounds and burns).« less

Overview of Remote Handling Equipment Used for the NPP A1 Decommissioning - 12141

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kravarik, K.; Medved, J.; Pekar, A.

The first Czechoslovak NPP A1 was in operation from 1972 to 1977 and it was finally shutdown due to an accident (level 4 according to the INES). The presence of radioactive, toxic or hazardous materials limits personnel access to facilities and therefore it is necessary to use remote handling technologies for some most difficult characterization, retrieval, decontamination and dismantling tasks. The history of remote handling technologies utilization started in nineties when the spent nuclear fuel, including those fuel assemblies damaged during the accident, was prepared for the transport to Russia. Subsequent significant development of remote handling equipment continued during implementationmore » of the NPP A1 decommissioning project - Stage I and ongoing Stage II. Company VUJE, Inc. is the general contractor for both mentioned stages of the decommissioning project. Various remote handling manipulators and robotics arms were developed and used. It includes remotely controlled vehicle manipulator MT-15 used for characterisation tasks in hostile and radioactive environment, special robust manipulator DENAR-41 used for the decontamination of underground storage tanks and multi-purposes robotics arms MT-80 and MT-80A developed for variety of decontamination and dismantling tasks. The heavy water evaporator facility dismantling is the current task performed remotely by robotics arm MT-80. The heavy water evaporator is located inside the main production building in the room No. 220 where loose surface contamination varies from 10 Bq/cm{sup 2} to 1x10{sup 3} Bq/cm{sup 2}, dose rate is up to 1.5 mGy/h and the feeding pipeline contained liquid RAW with high tritium content. Presented manipulators have been designed for broad range of decommissioning tasks. They are used for recognition, sampling, waste retrieval from large underground tanks, decontamination and dismantling of technological equipments. Each of the mentioned fields claims specific requirements on design of manipulator, their operation and control systems as well as tools of manipulators. Precise planning of decontamination and dismantling tasks is necessary for its successful performance by remotely controlled manipulator. The example of the heavy water evaporator demonstrates typical procedure for decommissioning of contaminated technological equipment by remotely controlled manipulators - planning of decommissioning tasks, preparatory tasks, modification of applied tools and design of specific supporting constructions for manipulator and finally decontamination and dismantling themselves. Due to the particularly demanding conditions in highly contaminated A1 NPP, a team of experts with special know-how in the field of decommissioning has grown up, and unique technological equipment enabling effective and safe work in environment with a high radiation level has been developed. (authors)« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demmer, Rick; Boxall, Colin

Radiological decontamination is an essential enterprise that has become more important over the last four decades due to unfortunate accidents and the threat of terrorist actions. Decontamination can be an effective, beneficial alternative for the cleanup of radiological contamination events; however, the costs and benefits need to be balanced against those for complete removal and demolition of contaminated areas or facilities. Demolition and removal are often the first options considered in such circumstances as decontamination may be thought of as slow and costly. Decontamination has advantages, including significant waste reduction over demolition. In areas with buildings of cultural or societalmore » importance, demolition may not be an option. Three decontamination evaluation test series are the focus of this article: SIMCON 1 and 2 (i.e., simulated contamination), and Urban RDD (radiological dispersal device, i.e., a dirty bomb detonation). These test series revealed that different contaminants respond differently during decontamination. This was found to be true with both SIMCON and Urban RDD simulant tests. SIMCON 2 especially demonstrated that chemically different contaminants respond differently to different decontamination methods: cesium appears to be less tenacious (more easily removed) than zirconium using chemical methods. These differences were underscored by the Urban RDD tests where americium and cobalt tended to precipitate on high pH surfaces (such as concrete), making them easier to remove, while cesium and strontium were essentially unaffected by surface pH and were imbibed more strongly into the substrate pore structure. While authorities argue over the contributions of contaminant chemistry and substrate morphology, the clear answer is that each has a contribution to the tenacity of a contaminant. Knowing how these characteristics interact will make us better at decontamination in the field. This knowledge refutes the efforts of perhaps well-meaning marketers to define our decontamination problems by what products they are trying to sell; often a “one size fits all” type approach. Knowing even a little bit about the character of the decontamination problem will save time and money and increase the efficacy of decontamination.« less

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear decontamination: Recent trends and future perspective

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vinod; Goel, Rajeev; Chawla, Raman; Silambarasan, M.; Sharma, Rakesh Kumar

2010-01-01

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) decontamination is the removal of CBRN material from equipment or humans. The objective of the decontamination is to reduce radiation burden, salvage equipment, and materials, remove loose CBRN contaminants, and fix the remaining in place in preparation for protective storage or permanent disposal work activities. Decontamination may be carried out using chemical, electrochemical, and mechanical means. Like materials, humans may also be contaminated with CBRN contamination. Changes in cellular function can occur at lower radiation doses and exposure to chemicals. At high dose, cell death may take place. Therefore, decontamination of humans at the time of emergency while generating bare minimum waste is an enormous task requiring dedication of large number of personnel and large amount of time. General principles of CBRN decontamination are discussed in this review with emphasis on radiodecontamination. PMID:21829318

Decontamination of dental implant surface in peri-implantitis treatment: A literature review

PubMed Central

Buitrago-Vera, Pedro; Solá-Ruiz, María F.; Ferrer-García, Juan C.

2013-01-01

Etiological treatment of peri-implantitis aims to reduce the bacterial load within the peri-implant pocket and decontaminate the implant surface in order to promote osseointegration. The aim of this literature review was to evaluate the efficacy of different methods of implant surface decontamination. A search was conducted using the PubMed (Medline) database, which identified 36 articles including in vivo and in vitro studies, and reviews of different decontamination systems (chemical, mechanical, laser and photodynamic therapies). There is sufficient consensus that, for the treatment of peri-implant infections, the mechanical removal of biofilm from the implant surface should be supplemented by chemical decontamination with surgical access. However, more long-term research is needed to confirm this and to establish treatment protocols responding to different implant characterics. Key words:Peri-implantitis, treatment, decontamination, implant surface, laser. PMID:23986023

Evaluation of absorbent materials for use as ad hoc dry decontaminants during mass casualty incidents as part of the UK’s Initial Operational Response (IOR)

PubMed Central

Kassouf, Nick; Syed, Sara; Larner, Joanne; Amlôt, Richard

2017-01-01

The UK’s Initial Operational Response (IOR) is a revised process for the medical management of mass casualties potentially contaminated with hazardous materials. A critical element of the IOR is the introduction of immediate, on-scene disrobing and decontamination of casualties to limit the adverse health effects of exposure. Ad hoc cleansing of the skin with dry absorbent materials has previously been identified as a potential means of facilitating emergency decontamination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro oil and water absorbency of a range of materials commonly found in the domestic and clinical environments and to determine the effectiveness of a small, but representative selection of such materials in skin decontamination, using an established ex vivo model. Five contaminants were used in the study: methyl salicylate, parathion, diethyl malonate, phorate and potassium cyanide. In vitro measurements of water and oil absorbency did not correlate with ex vivo measurements of skin decontamination. When measured ex vivo, dry decontamination was consistently more effective than a standard wet decontamination method (“rinse-wipe-rinse”) for removing liquid contaminants. However, dry decontamination was ineffective against particulate contamination. Collectively, these data confirm that absorbent materials such as wound dressings and tissue paper provide an effective, generic capability for emergency removal of liquid contaminants from the skin surface, but that wet decontamination should be used for non-liquid contaminants. PMID:28152053

Preparative scale separation of thulium from erbium for neutron capture cross section measurements - Part: Preparative scale

DOE PAGES

Birnbaum, Eva R.; Bene, Balazs J.; Taylor, Wayne Allen; ...

2016-06-04

Here, this paper discusses the development of a separation method for isolation of Tm-171 from a half-gram irradiated erbium target in support of stockpile stewardship and astrophysics research. The developed procedure is based on cation exchange separation using alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid (α-HIBA) as chelating agent. It is able to achieve either a decontamination factor of 1.4(4) × 10 5 with 68.9(3) % recovery or 95.4(3) % recovery with a decontamination factor of 5.82(7) × 10 3 for a mock 500-mg target containing 17.9 mg thulium in a single pass-through at room temperature.

Efficacy of liquid and foam decontamination technologies for chemical warfare agents on indoor surfaces.

PubMed

Love, Adam H; Bailey, Christopher G; Hanna, M Leslie; Hok, Saphon; Vu, Alex K; Reutter, Dennis J; Raber, Ellen

2011-11-30

Bench-scale testing was used to evaluate the efficacy of four decontamination formulations on typical indoor surfaces following exposure to the liquid chemical warfare agents sarin (GB), soman (GD), sulfur mustard (HD), and VX. Residual surface contamination on coupons was periodically measured for up to 24h after applying one of four selected decontamination technologies [0.5% bleach solution with trisodium phosphate, Allen Vanguard Surface Decontamination Foam (SDF™), U.S. military Decon Green™, and Modec Inc. and EnviroFoam Technologies Sandia Decontamination Foam (DF-200)]. All decontamination technologies tested, except for the bleach solution, performed well on nonporous and nonpermeable glass and stainless-steel surfaces. However, chemical agent residual contamination typically remained on porous and permeable surfaces, especially for the more persistent agents, HD and VX. Solvent-based Decon Green™ performed better than aqueous-based bleach or foams on polymeric surfaces, possibly because the solvent is able to penetrate the polymer matrix. Bleach and foams out-performed Decon Green for penetrating the highly polar concrete surface. Results suggest that the different characteristics needed for an ideal and universal decontamination technology may be incompatible in a single formulation and a strategy for decontaminating a complex facility will require a range of technologies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparison of decontamination effects of commercially available detergents in rats pre-exposed to topical sulphur mustard.

PubMed

Misik, Jan; Jost, Petr; Pavlikova, Ruzena; Vodakova, Eva; Cabal, Jiri; Kuca, Kamil

2013-06-01

The genotoxic vesicant sulphur mustard [bis-2-(chloroethyl)sulphide] is a chemical warfare agent which is easily available due to its relatively simple synthesis. Thus, sulphur mustard is a potential agent for mass contamination. In this study, we focused on sulphur mustard toxicity and decontamination in a rat model using commercially available detergent mixtures for dermal decontamination. Male Wistar rats were percutaneously treated with sulphur mustard and subjected to wet decontamination 2 min postexposure. Commercially produced detergents Neodekont™, Argos™, Dermogel™ and FloraFree™ were tested for their decontamination efficacy against an exposed group and their protective ratios determined. The results showed that all tested detergent solutions produced an increase in the median lethal dose [LD(50) = 9.83 (5.87-13.63) mg·kg(-1)] in comparison to controls, which led to increased survival of experimental animals. In general, all tested detergents provided modest decontamination efficacy (PR = 2.0-5.7). The highest protective ratio (5.7) was consistently achieved with Argos™. Accordingly, Argos™ should be considered in further investigation of mass casualty decontamination.

Oral decontamination is cost-saving in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units.

PubMed

van Nieuwenhoven, Christianne A; Buskens, Erik; Bergmans, Dennis C; van Tiel, Frank H; Ramsay, Graham; Bonten, Marc J M

2004-01-01

Although the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is assumed to increase costs of intensive care unit stay, it is unknown whether prevention of VAP by means of oropharyngeal decontamination is cost-effective. Because of wide ranges of individual patient costs, crude cost comparisons did not show significant cost reductions. Based on actual cost data of 181 individual patients included in a former randomized clinical trial, cost-effectiveness of prevention of VAP was determined using a decision model and univariate sensitivity analyses, and bootstrapping was used to assess the impact of variability in the various outcomes. Published data on prevention of VAP by oropharyngeal decontamination, which resulted in a relative risk for VAP of 0.45, with a baseline rate of VAP of 29% among control patients. The mean costs of the intervention were 351 dollars per patient (32 dollars per patient per day). All other costs were derived from the hospital administrative database for all individual patients. Prevention of VAP led to mean total costs of 16,119 dollars and 18,268 dollars for patients without preventive measures administered. Thus, costs were saved and instances of VAP were prevented. Similar results were observed in terms of overall survival. Prevention of VAP remains cost-saving if the relative risk for VAP because of intervention is <0.923, the costs of the intervention are less than 2,500 dollars, and the prevalence of VAP without intervention is >4%. Bootstrapping confirmed that, with about 80% certainty, oropharyngeal decontamination results in prevention of VAP and simultaneously saves costs. In terms of a survival benefit, the results are less evident; the results indicate that with only about 60% certainty can we confirm that oropharyngeal decontamination would result in a survival benefit and simultaneously save costs. This study provides strong evidence that prevention of VAP by means of oropharyngeal decontamination is cost-effective.

The impact of inducing germination of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis spores on potential secondary decontamination strategies.

PubMed

Omotade, T O; Bernhards, R C; Klimko, C P; Matthews, M E; Hill, A J; Hunter, M S; Webster, W M; Bozue, J A; Welkos, S L; Cote, C K

2014-12-01

Decontamination and remediation of a site contaminated by the accidental or intentional release of fully virulent Bacillus anthracis spores are difficult, costly and potentially damaging to the environment. Development of novel decontamination strategies that have minimal environmental impacts remains a high priority. Although ungerminated spores are amongst the most resilient organisms known, once exposed to germinants, the germinating spores, in some cases, become susceptible to antimicrobial environments. We evaluated the concept that once germinated, B. anthracis spores would be less hazardous and significantly easier to remediate than ungerminated dormant spores. Through in vitro germination and sensitivity assays, we demonstrated that upon germination, B. anthracis Ames spores and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam spores (serving as a surrogate for B. anthracis) become susceptible to environmental stressors. The majority of these germinated B. anthracis and B. thuringiensis spores were nonviable after exposure to a defined minimal germination-inducing solution for prolonged periods of time. Additionally, we examined the impact of potential secondary disinfectant strategies including bleach, hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde and artificial UV-A, UV-B and UV-C radiation, employed after a 60-min germination-induction step. Each secondary disinfectant employs a unique mechanism of killing; as a result, germination-induction strategies are better suited for some secondary disinfectants than others. These results provide evidence that the deployment of an optimal combination strategy of germination-induction/secondary disinfection may be a promising aspect of wide-area decontamination following a B. anthracis contamination event. By inducing spores to germinate, our data confirm that the resulting cells exhibit sensitivities that can be leveraged when paired with certain decontamination measures. This increased susceptibility could be exploited to devise more efficient and safe decontamination measures and may obviate the need for more stringent methods that are currently in place. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Test method development to evaluate hot, humid air decontamination of materials contaminated with Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam spores.

PubMed

Buhr, T L; Young, A A; Minter, Z A; Wells, C M; McPherson, D C; Hooban, C L; Johnson, C A; Prokop, E J; Crigler, J R

2012-11-01

To develop test methods and evaluate the survival of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam spores after exposure to hot, humid air. Spores (>7 logs) of both strains were dried on six different test materials. Response surface methodology was employed to identify the limits of spore survival at optimal test combinations of temperature (60, 68, 77°C), relative humidity (60, 75, 90%) and time (1, 4, 7 days). No spores survived the harshest test run (77°C, 90% r.h., 7 days), while > 6·5 logs of spores survived the mildest test run (60°C, 60% r.h., 1 day). Spores of both strains inoculated on nylon webbing and polypropylene had greater survival rates at 68°C, 75% r.h., 4 days than spores on other materials. Electron microscopy showed no obvious physical damage to spores using hot, humid air, which contrasted with pH-adjusted bleach decontamination. Test methods were developed to show that hot, humid air effectively inactivates B. anthracis ∆Sterne and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam spores with similar kinetics. Hot, humid air is a potential alternative to conventional chemical decontamination. © 2012 The Authors Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Transplantation of human fetal tissue for neurodegenerative diseases: validation of a new protocol for microbiological analysis and bacterial decontamination.

PubMed

Piroth, Tobias; Pauly, Marie-Christin; Schneider, Christian; Wittmer, Annette; Möllers, Sven; Döbrössy, Máté; Winkler, Christian; Nikkhah, Guido

2014-01-01

Restorative cell therapy concepts in neurodegenerative diseases are aimed at replacing lost neurons. Despite advances in research on pluripotent stem cells, fetal tissue from routine elective abortions is still regarded as the only safe cell source. Progenitor cells isolated from distinct first-trimester fetal CNS regions have already been used in clinical trials and will be used again in a new multicenter trial funded by the European Union (TRANSEURO). Bacterial contamination of human fetal tissue poses a potential risk of causing infections in the brain of the recipient. Thus, effective methods of microbial decontamination and validation of these methods are required prior to approval of a neurorestorative cell therapy trial. We have developed a protocol consisting of subsequent washing steps at different stages of tissue processing. Efficacy of microbial decontamination was assessed on rat embryonic tissue incubated with high concentrations of defined microbe solutions including representative bacterial and fungal species. Experimental microbial contamination was reduced by several log ranks. Subsequently, we have analyzed the spectrum of microbial contamination and the effect of subsequent washing steps on aborted human fetal tissue; 47.7% of the samples taken during human fetal tissue processing were positive for a microbial contamination, but after washing, no sample exhibited bacterial growth. Our data suggest that human fetal tissue for neural repair can carry microbes of various species, highlighting the need for decontamination procedures. The decontamination protocol described in this report has been shown to be effective as no microbes could be detected at the end of the procedure.

A Planning Tool for Estimating Waste Generated by a Radiological Incident and Subsequent Decontamination Efforts - 13569

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boe, Timothy; Lemieux, Paul; Schultheisz, Daniel

2013-07-01

Management of debris and waste from a wide-area radiological incident would probably constitute a significant percentage of the total remediation cost and effort. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) is a unique planning tool for estimating the potential volume and radioactivity levels of waste generated by a radiological incident and subsequent decontamination efforts. The WEST was developed to support planners and decision makers by generating a first-order estimate of the quantity and characteristics of waste resulting from a radiological incident. The tool then allows the user to evaluate the impact of various decontamination/demolition strategies onmore » the waste types and volumes generated. WEST consists of a suite of standalone applications and Esri{sup R} ArcGIS{sup R} scripts for rapidly estimating waste inventories and levels of radioactivity generated from a radiological contamination incident as a function of user-defined decontamination and demolition approaches. WEST accepts Geographic Information System (GIS) shape-files defining contaminated areas and extent of contamination. Building stock information, including square footage, building counts, and building composition estimates are then generated using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Hazus{sup R}-MH software. WEST then identifies outdoor surfaces based on the application of pattern recognition to overhead aerial imagery. The results from the GIS calculations are then fed into a Microsoft Excel{sup R} 2007 spreadsheet with a custom graphical user interface where the user can examine the impact of various decontamination/demolition scenarios on the quantity, characteristics, and residual radioactivity of the resulting waste streams. (authors)« less

Development of haemostatic decontaminants for the treatment of wounds contaminated with chemical warfare agents. 1: evaluation of in vitro clotting efficacy in the presence of certain contaminants.

PubMed

Hall, Charlotte A; Lydon, Helen L; Dalton, Christopher H; Chipman, J K; Graham, John S; Chilcott, Robert P

2015-05-01

The treatment of penetrating, haemorrhaging injuries sustained within a hazardous environment may be complicated by contamination with toxic chemicals. There are currently no specific medical countermeasures for such injuries. Haemostats with an absorbent mechanism of action have the potential to simultaneously stop bleeding and decontaminate wounds. However, a primary requirement of a 'haemostatic decontaminant' is the retention of clotting function in the presence of chemical contaminants. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the haemostatic efficacy of seven commercially available haemostats in the presence of toxic chemicals (soman, VX, sulphur mustard, petrol, aviation fuel and motor oil). Clot viscosity was assessed ex vivo using thrombelastography following treatment of pig blood with: (i) toxic chemical; (ii) haemostat; or (iii) haemostat in combination with toxic chemical. Several contaminants (VX, petrol and GD) were found to be pro-haemostatic and none had an adverse effect on the rate with which the test products attained haemostasis. However, the total clot strength for blood treated with certain haemostats in the presence of sulphur mustard, soman and petrol was significantly decreased. Three test products failed to demonstrate haemostatic function in this ex vivo (thrombelastography) model; this was tentatively ascribed to the products achieving haemostasis through a tamponade mechanism of action, which can only be replicated using in vivo models. Overall, this study has identified a number of commercial products that may have potential as haemostatic decontaminants and warrant further investigation to establish their decontaminant efficacy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Compared in vivo efficiency of nanoemulsions unloaded and loaded with calixarene and soapy water in the treatment of superficial wounds contaminated by uranium.

PubMed

Grivès, Sophie; Phan, Guillaume; Bouvier-Capely, Céline; Suhard, David; Rebière, François; Agarande, Michelle; Fattal, Elias

2017-04-01

No emergency decontamination treatment is currently available in the case of radiological skin contamination by uranium compounds. First responders in the workplace or during an industrial nuclear accident must be able to treat internal contamination through skin. For this purpose, a calixarene nanoemulsion was developed for the treatment of intact skin or superficial wounds contaminated by uranium, and the decontamination efficiency of this nanoemulsion was investigated in vitro and ex vivo. The present work addresses the in vivo decontamination efficiency of this nanoemulsion, using a rat model. This efficiency is compared to the radio-decontaminant soapy water currently used in France (Trait rouge ® ) in the workplace. The results showed that both calixarene-loaded nanoemulsion and non-loaded nanoemulsion allowed a significant decontamination efficiency compared to the treatment with soapy water. Early application of the nanoemulsions on contaminated excoriated rat skin allowed decreasing the uranium content by around 85% in femurs, 95% in kidneys and 93% in urines. For skin wounded by microneedles, mimicking wounds by microstings, nanoemulsions allowed approximately a 94% decrease in the uranium retention in kidneys. However, specific chelation of uranium by calixarene molecules within the nanoemulsion was not statistically significant, probably because of the limited calixarene-to-uranium molar ratio in these experiment conditions. Moreover, these studies showed that the soapy water treatment potentiates the transcutaneous passage of uranium, thus making it bioavailable, in particular when the skin is superficially wounded. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

MRSA prevalence rates detected in a tertiary care hospital in Austria and successful treatment of MRSA positive patients applying a decontamination regime with octenidine.

PubMed

Pichler, G; Pux, C; Babeluk, R; Hermann, B; Stoiser, E; De Campo, A; Grisold, A; Zollner-Schwetz, I; Krause, R; Schippinger, W

2018-01-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decontamination regimens predominantly use chlorhexidine bathing in combination with mupirocin nasal ointment. However, resistances in Staphylococcus aureus strains are increasingly common and there is a need of alternative, safe and feasible protocols. This interventional cohort study performed at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Graz, Austria, aimed to (1) determine MRSA prevalence at different body sites and (2) assess the efficacy of the decontamination using octenidine-based leave-on products added to existing robust infection control measures. All inpatients of this tertiary care hospital being treated in geriatric medical wards (GWs) and apallic care units (ACUs) were screened for MRSA and decontamination rates were determined after one, two or three decontamination cycles, respectively. At baseline, MRSA was detected in 25 of the 126 patients screened (19.8%). We found MRSA in 13/126 (10.3%) swabs from nasal vestibules, in 12/126 (9.5%) skin swabs, in 11/51 (21.6%) swabs from PEG-stomata or suprapubic catheters and in 8/13 (61.5%) tracheostomata swabs. A maximum of three 5-day decontamination cycles reduced the number of MRSA positive patients by 68.0%. Excluding non-compliant and deceased patients, decontamination reduced MRSA carriage by 93.3% (n = 15). No adverse events related to the applied decontamination regimen occurred. Exclusive screening of the nose might underreport MRSA prevalence rates. In this study, decontamination with octenidine-based leave-on products was safe and effective in a critical patient population.

Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Variant Creutzfeldt - Jakob Disease Abnormal Prion Protein on Steel Surfaces by Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification: Application to Prion Decontamination Studies

PubMed Central

Belondrade, Maxime; Nicot, Simon; Béringue, Vincent; Coste, Joliette; Lehmann, Sylvain; Bougard, Daisy

2016-01-01

The prevalence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the population remains uncertain, although it has been estimated that 1 in 2000 people in the United Kingdom are positive for abnormal prion protein (PrPTSE) by a recent survey of archived appendix tissues. The prominent lymphotropism of vCJD prions raises the possibility that some surgical procedures may be at risk of iatrogenic vCJD transmission in healthcare facilities. It is therefore vital that decontamination procedures applied to medical devices before their reprocessing are thoroughly validated. A current limitation is the lack of a rapid model permissive to human prions. Here, we developed a prion detection assay based on protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technology combined with stainless-steel wire surfaces as carriers of prions (Surf-PMCA). This assay allowed the specific detection of minute quantities (10−8 brain dilution) of either human vCJD or ovine scrapie PrPTSE adsorbed onto a single steel wire, within a two week timeframe. Using Surf-PMCA we evaluated the performance of several reference and commercially available prion-specific decontamination procedures. Surprisingly, we found the efficiency of several marketed reagents to remove human vCJD PrPTSE was lower than expected. Overall, our results demonstrate that Surf-PMCA can be used as a rapid and ultrasensitive assay for the detection of human vCJD PrPTSE adsorbed onto a metallic surface, therefore facilitating the development and validation of decontamination procedures against human prions. PMID:26800081

Pickering emulsions for skin decontamination.

PubMed

Salerno, Alicia; Bolzinger, Marie-Alexandrine; Rolland, Pauline; Chevalier, Yves; Josse, Denis; Briançon, Stéphanie

2016-08-01

This study aimed at developing innovative systems for skin decontamination. Pickering emulsions, i.e. solid-stabilized emulsions, containing silica (S-PE) or Fuller's earth (FE-PE) were formulated. Their efficiency for skin decontamination was evaluated, in vitro, 45min after an exposure to VX, one of the most highly toxic chemical warfare agents. Pickering emulsions were compared to FE (FE-W) and silica (S-W) aqueous suspensions. PE containing an oil with a similar hydrophobicity to VX should promote its extraction. All the formulations reduced significantly the amount of VX quantified on and into the skin compared to the control. Wiping the skin surface with a pad already allowed removing more than half of VX. FE-W was the less efficient (85% of VX removed). The other formulations (FE-PE, S-PE and S-W) resulted in more than 90% of the quantity of VX removed. The charge of particles was the most influential factor. The low pH of formulations containing silica favored electrostatic interactions of VX with particles explaining the better elimination from the skin surface. Formulations containing FE had basic pH, and weak interactions with VX did not improve the skin decontamination. However, these low interactions between VX and FE promote the transfer of VX into the oil droplets in the FE-PE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet for Chem/Bio Warfare Decontamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Hans W.; Henins, Ivars; Park, Jaeyoung; Selwyn, Gary S.

1999-11-01

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ) technology may provide a much needed method of CBW decontamination which, unlike traditional decon methods, is dry and nondestructive to sensitive equipment and materials. The APPJ discharge uses a high-flow feedgas consisting primarily of an inert carrier gas, such as He, and a small amount of a reactive additive, such as O2, which flows between capacitively-coupled electrodes powered at 13.56 MHz. The plasma generates highly reactive metastable and atomic species of oxygen which are then directed onto a contaminated surface. The reactive effluent of the APPJ has been shown to effectively neutralize VX nerve agent as well as simulants for anthrax and mustard blister agent. Research efforts are now being directed towards reducing He consumption and increasing the allowable stand-off distance. Recent results demonstrate that by replacing the O2 reactive additive with CO2, ozone formation is greatly reduced. This has the result of extending the lifetime of atomic oxygen by an order of magnitude or more. A recirculating APP Decon Chamber which combines heat, vacuum, forced convection and reactivity is currently being developed for enhanced decontamination of sensitive equipment. Several techniques are also being evaluated for use in an APP Decon Jet for decontamination of items which cannot be placed inside a chamber.

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies

PubMed Central

Raguse, Marina; Fiebrandt, Marcel; Stapelmann, Katharina; Madela, Kazimierz; Laue, Michael; Lackmann, Jan-Wilm; Thwaite, Joanne E.; Setlow, Peter; Awakowicz, Peter

2016-01-01

Novel decontamination technologies, including cold low-pressure plasma and blue light (400 nm), are promising alternatives to conventional surface decontamination methods. However, the standardization of the assessment of such sterilization processes remains to be accomplished. Bacterial endospores of the genera Bacillus and Geobacillus are frequently used as biological indicators (BIs) of sterility. Ensuring standardized and reproducible BIs for reliable testing procedures is a significant problem in industrial settings. In this study, an electrically driven spray deposition device was developed, allowing fast, reproducible, and homogeneous preparation of Bacillus subtilis 168 spore monolayers on glass surfaces. A detailed description of the structural design as well as the operating principle of the spraying device is given. The reproducible formation of spore monolayers of up to 5 × 107 spores per sample was verified by scanning electron microscopy. Surface inactivation studies revealed that monolayered spores were inactivated by UV-C (254 nm), low-pressure argon plasma (500 W, 10 Pa, 100 standard cubic cm per min), and blue light (400 nm) significantly faster than multilayered spores were. We have thus succeeded in the uniform preparation of reproducible, highly concentrated spore monolayers with the potential to generate BIs for a variety of nonpenetrating surface decontamination techniques. PMID:26801572

Long lasting decontamination foam

DOEpatents

Demmer, Ricky L.; Peterman, Dean R.; Tripp, Julia L.; Cooper, David C.; Wright, Karen E.

2010-12-07

Compositions and methods for decontaminating surfaces are disclosed. More specifically, compositions and methods for decontamination using a composition capable of generating a long lasting foam are disclosed. Compositions may include a surfactant and gelatin and have a pH of less than about 6. Such compositions may further include affinity-shifting chemicals. Methods may include decontaminating a contaminated surface with a composition or a foam that may include a surfactant and gelatin and have a pH of less than about 6.

Symposium on Toxic Substance Control: Decontamination, April 22 - 24, 1980, Columbus, Ohio.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

standard decontaminants is used. TABLE 1. Standard Chemical Decontaminants Decontaminant Agents Used On STB Blister and nerve agents DS-2 All chemical... agents M258 Kit Sodium Hydroxide, Ethanol, G-Series nerve agents Phenol, Water Chloramine B, ZnCI2, Blister ana V-Series Ethanol, Water nerve agents A...is a point source alarm that actively samples ambient air and reacts to low concentrations of nerve agents . The M-8 alarm detector also detects several

Comparison of Four Skin Decontamination Procedures Using Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) Following Cutaneous VX Exposure in Guinea Pigs

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

DC) product following cutaneous exposure to VX was affected by the DC procedure. Fur-clipped, male, unanesthetized guinea pigs were used as subjects...RSDL) Following Cutaneous VX Exposure in Guinea Pigs Irwin Koplovitz Susan Schulz Julia Morgan Robert Reed Edward Clarkson C. Gary Hurst...Decontamination Procedures Using Reactive Skin 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) Following Cutaneous VX Exposure in Guinea Pigs 5b

Planning guidance for nuclear-power-plant decontamination. [PWR; BWR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munson, L.F.; Divine, J.R.; Martin, J.B.

1983-06-01

Direct and indirect costs of decontamination are considered in the benefit-cost analysis. A generic form of the benefit-cost ratio is evaluated in monetary and nonmonetary terms, and values of dollar per man-rem are cited. Federal and state agencies that may have jurisiction over various aspects of decontamination and waste disposal activities are identified. Methods of decontamination, their general effectiveness, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are outlined. Dilute or concentrated chemical solutions are usually used in-situ to dissolve the contamination layer and a thin layer of the underlying substrate. Electrochemical techniques are generally limited to components but show highmore » decontamination effectiveness with uniform corrosion. Mechanical agents are particularly appropriate for certain out-of-system surfaces and disassembled parts. These processes are catagorized and specific concerns are discussed. The treatment, storage, and disposal or discharge or discharge of liquid, gaseous, and solid wastes generated during the decontamination process are discussed. Radioactive and other hazardous chemical wastes are considered. The monitoring, treatment, and control of radioactive and nonradioactive effluents, from both routine operations and possible accidents, are discussed. Protecting the health and safety of personnel onsite during decontamination is of prime importance and should be considered in each facet of the decontamination process. The radiation protection philosophy of reducing exposure to levels as low as reasonably achievable should be stressed. These issues are discussed.« less

DISPOSAL OF RESIDUES FROM BUILDING DECONTAMINATION ACTIVITIES

EPA Science Inventory

After a building has gone through decontamination activities from a chemical attack there will be a significant amount of building decontamination residue that will need to undergo disposal. This project consists of a fundamental study to investigate the desorption of simulated c...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owen, P.T.; Knox, N.P.; Fielden, J.M.

This bibliography of 657 references with abstracts on the subject of nuclear facility decommissioning, uranium mill tailings management, and site remedial actions is the fourth in a series of annual reports prepared for the US Department of Energy, Division of Remedial Action Projects. Foreign as well as domestic documents of all types - technical reports, progress reports, journal articles, conference papers, symposium proceedings, theses, books, patents, legislation, and research project descriptions - have been references in this publication. The bibliography contains scientific (basic research as well as applied technology), economic, regulatory, and legal literature pertinent to the US Department ofmore » Energy's Remedial Action Program. Major chapters are: (1) Surplus Facilities Management Program; (2) Nuclear Facilities Decommissioning; (3) Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program; (4) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program; (5) Grand Junction Remedial Action Program; and (6) Uranium Mill Tailings Management. Chapter sections for chapters 1 and 2 include: Design, Planning, and Regulations; Site Surveys; Decontamination Studies; Dismantlement and Demolition; Land Decontamination and Reclamation; Waste Disposal; and General studies. The references within each chapter or section are arranged alphabetically by leading author. References having no individual author are arranged by corporate author, or by title. Indexes are provided for the categories of author, corporate affiliation, title, publication description, geographic location, and keywords. Appendix A lists 264 bibliographic references to literature identified during this reporting period but not abstracted due to time constraints. Title and publication description indexes are given for this appendix. Appendix B defines frequently used acronyms, and Appendix C lists the recipients of this report according to their corporate affiliation.« less

Modeling of capacitively and inductively coupled plasma for molecular decontamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihailova, Diana; Hagelaar, Gerjan; Belenguer, Philippe; Laurent, Christopher; Lo, Juslan; Caillier, Bruno; Therese, Laurent; Guillot, Philippe

2013-09-01

This project aims to study and to develop new technology bricks for next generation of molecular decontamination systems, including plasma solution, for various applications. The contamination control in the processing stages is a major issue for the industrial performance as well as for the development of new technologies in the surface treatment area. The main task is to create uniform low temperature plasma inside a reactor containing the object to be treated. Different plasma sources are modeled with the aim of finding the most efficient one for surface decontamination: inductively coupled plasma, capacitively coupled plasma and combination of both. The model used for testing the various plasma sources is a time dependent two-dimensional multi-fluid model. The model is applied to a simplified cylindrically symmetric geometry in pure argon gas. The modeling results are validated by comparison with experimental results and observations based on optical and physical diagnostic tools. The influence of various parameters (power, pressure, flow) is studied and the corresponding results are presented, compared and discussed. This work has been performed in the frame of the collaborative program PAUD (Plasma Airborne molecular contamination Ultra Desorption) funded by the French agency OSEO and certified by French global competitive clusters Minalogic and Trimatec.

Efficacy studies of Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion, M291 Skin Decontamination Kit, 0.5% bleach, 1% soapy water, and Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents, part 1: guinea pigs challenged with VX.

PubMed

Braue, Ernest H; Smith, Kelly H; Doxzon, Bryce F; Lumpkin, Horace L; Clarkson, Edward D

2011-03-01

This report, first in a series of five, directly compares the efficacy of 4 decontamination products and Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents (SERPACWA) in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to VX. In all experiments, guinea pigs were close-clipped and given anesthesia. In the decontamination experiments, the animals were challenged with VX and decontaminated after a 2-minute delay for the standard procedure or at longer times for the delayed-decontamination experiments. Skin Exposure Reduction Paste Against Chemical Warfare Agents was applied as a thin coating (0.1 mm thick), allowed to dry for 15 minutes, and challenged with VX. After a 2-hour challenge, any remaining VX was blotted off the animal, but no additional decontamination was done. Positive control animals were challenged with VX in the same manner as the treated animals, except that they received no treatment. In addition, the positive control animals were always challenged with 5% VX in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution, whereas the treatment animals received either neat (undiluted) VX or 5% VX in IPA solution. All animals were observed during the first 4 hours and again at 24 hours after exposure for signs of toxicity and death. The protective ratio (PR, defined as the median lethal dose [LD(50)] of the treatment group divided by the LD(50) of the untreated positive control animals) was calculated from the probit dose-response curves established for each treatment group and nontreated control animals. Significance in this report was defined as p < .05. In the standard 2-minute neat VX decontamination experiments, the calculated PRs for Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL), 0.5% bleach, 1% soapy water, and the M291 Skin Decontamination Kit (SDK) were 66, 17, 16, and 1.1, respectively. Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion was by far the most effective decontamination product tested and was significantly better than any of the other products. Bleach and soapy water provided equivalent and good (PR > 5) protection. They were both significantly better than the M291 SDK. The M291 SDK did not provide significant protection compared with positive controls. In the neat VX delayed-decontamination experiments, the calculated LT(50) (the delayed-decontamination time at which 50% of the animals died in the test population following a 5-LD(50) challenge) values for RSDL, 0.5% bleach, and 1% soapy water were 31, 48, and 26 minutes, respectively. The results showed that SERPACWA provided significant, but modest (PR < 5), protection against neat VX, with a PR of 2.1. Several conclusions can be drawn from this study: 1) RSDL provided superior protection against VX compared with the other products tested; 2) 0.5% bleach and 1% soapy water were less effective than RSDL, but still provided good protection against VX; 3) the M291 SDK was the least effective decontamination product and did not provide significant protection against VX; 4) the agent was observed to streak when using the M291 SDK, and efficacy may improve if the agent is first blotted, followed by wiping with a new or clean part of the M291 SDK pad; 5) RSDL, 0.5% bleach, and 1% soapy water provided significant protection against a 5-LD(50) challenge of VX, even when decontamination was delayed for up to about 30 minutes; and 6) SERPACWA provided significant, but modest, protection against VX.

Effects of local-scale decontamination in a secondary forest contaminated after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Ayabe, Yoshiko; Hijii, Naoki; Takenaka, Chisato

2017-09-01

We investigated whether local-scale decontamination (removal of the litter layer, superficial soil layer, and understory) in a secondary forest contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident reduced 137 Cs contamination of the soil and litter. We also measured 137 Cs concentrations in plants and in the web-building spider Nephila clavata (Nephilidae: Arachnida), as an indicator species, to examine 137 Cs contamination in arthropods. One month after decontamination, the total 137 Cs contamination (soil + litter) was reduced by 20% (100 kBq·m -2 ) relative to that in an adjacent untreated (i.e., contaminated) area, which was however not statistically significant. Four months after decontamination, 137 Cs in the decontaminated area had increased to a level similar to those in the untreated area, and the air radiation dose in the decontaminated area was about 2.1 μSv·h -1 , significantly higher than that in the untreated area (1.9 μSv·h -1 ). This may have been attributed to a torrential rain event. Although no statistically significant reduction was observed, most spiders had a lower 137 Cs contamination than that before the decontamination. This implied that the decontamination may have reduced 137 Cs transfer from soil via litter to N. clavata through the detrital food chains, but may not have reduced the amount of 137 Cs transfer through grazing food chains because the concentration of 137 Cs in living tree leaves was not reduced by the decontamination. In autumn, about 2 kBq·m -2 of 137 Cs was supplied from foliage to the ground by litterfall. The results suggested that removal of the litter and superficial soil layers in a contaminated forest may be ineffective. The present study suggests that the local-scale decontamination in a secondary forest had no effect on the reduction of 137 Cs contamination in the treated area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Decontaminating Agents and Swipe Materials on Laboratory Simulated Working Surfaces Wet Spilled with Sodium Pertechnetate.

PubMed

Akchata, Suman; Lavanya, K; Shivanand, Bhushan

2017-01-01

Decontamination of various working surfaces with sodium pertechnetate minor spillage is essential for maintaining good radiation safety practices as well as for regulatory compliance. To observe the influences of decontaminating agents and swipe materials on different type of surfaces used in nuclear medicine laboratory work area wet spilled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) sodium pertechnetate. Lab-simulated working surface materials. Experimental study design. Direct decontamination method on dust-free lab simulated new working surfaces [stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Perspex, resin] using four decontaminating agents [tap water, soap water (SW), Radiacwash, and spirit] with four different swipe material [cotton, tissue paper (TP), Whatman paper (WP), adsorbent sheet (AS)] was taken 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Parametric test two-way analysis of variance is used with significance level of 0.005, was used to evaluate statistical differences between different group of decontaminating agent and swipe material, and the results are expressed in mean ± SD. Decontamination factor is calculated after five cleaning for each group. A total of 160 samples result calculated using four decontaminating agent (tap water, SW, Radiacwash, and spirit), four swipe material (cotton, TP, WP, and AS) for commonly used surface (stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, resin) using direct method by 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Tap water is the best decontaminating agent compared with SW, Radiac wash and spirit for the laboratory simulated stainless steel, PVC, and Perspex surface material, whereas in case of resin surface material, SW decontaminating agent is showing better effectiveness. Cotton is the best swipe material compared to WP-1, AS and TP for the stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, and resin laboratory simulated surface materials. Perspex and stainless steel are the most suitable and recommended laboratory surface material compared to PVC and resin in nuclear medicine. Radiacwash may show better result for 99mTc labelled product and other radionuclide contamination on the laboratory working surface area.

ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGED AEROSOL DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM FOR SMALL BUILDING DECONTAMINATION - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

Existing decontamination procedures are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and produce low-yielding results, and they have a high risk of personnel exposure and equipment damage. Foster-Miller, Inc., has teamed with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and other reagent suppl...

Integrated decontamination process for metals

DOEpatents

Snyder, Thomas S.; Whitlow, Graham A.

1991-01-01

An integrated process for decontamination of metals, particularly metals that are used in the nuclear energy industry contaminated with radioactive material. The process combines the processes of electrorefining and melt refining to purify metals that can be decontaminated using either electrorefining or melt refining processes.

Recoveries raw data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Dataset shows the calculation of reported decontamination efficacies from the raw data (i.e., measured amount of chemical recovered from test coupons and positive controls) to actual decontamination efficacy for all chemicals and decontaminantsThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Oudejans , L., J. O'Kelly, A. Evans, B. Barbara Wyrzykowska-Ceradini, A. Toauati, D. Tabor , and E. Snyder. Efficacy of decontaminant solutions for remediation on TICs on PPE materials. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 1-5, (2016).

Evaluation of Temporary Wound Dressings for Adherence, Durability and Autografting on Sulfur Mustard-Induced Lesions in Weanling Swine

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-12-01

interpretation of the May 7, 1996 meeting with Carl Olson, Tim Hayes, Tom Dreier, Dave Stitcher , and Frances Reid. This procedure of decontamination and proof...with Carl Olson, Tim Hayes, Tom Dreier, Dave Stitcher , and Frances Reid. TASK 33 DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURE AND PROOF OF DECONTAMINATION Decontamination...two of you, Mr. Stitcher and Dr. Estep to share our results and resolve any safety issues. Thanks, and M-3 have a good weekend! John S. Graham John S

Reduced weight decontamination formulation utilizing a solid peracid compound for neutralization of chemical and biological warfare agents

DOEpatents

Tucker, Mark D [Albuquerque, NM

2011-09-20

A reduced weight decontamination formulation that utilizes a solid peracid compound (sodium borate peracetate) and a cationic surfactant (dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride) that can be packaged with all water removed. This reduces the packaged weight of the decontamination formulation by .about.80% (as compared to the "all-liquid" DF-200 formulation) and significantly lowers the logistics burden on the warfighter. Water (freshwater or saltwater) is added to the new decontamination formulation at the time of use from a local source.

Evaluation of RSDL, M291 SDK, 0.5% Bleach, 1% Soapy Water and SERPACWA. Part 12: Challenge with EA1212 (GF, cyclosarin)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

products in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to GF (EA1212). 15. SUBJECT TERMS decontamination, delayed decontamination, Reactive Skin...the four listed decontamination products in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to GF (EA1212). In all experiments, guinea pigs were close...the four listed decontamination products and SERPACWA in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to GF [cyclosarin, EA1212, Cyclohexyl

Evaluation of RSDL, M291 SDK, 0.5 Bleach, 1% Soapy Water and SERPACWA: Part 11: Challenge with EA4243 (VR, Russian VX)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

listed decontamination products in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to VR (Russian VX, EA4243). 15. SUBJECT TERMS decontamination...the efficacy of the barrier skin cream SERPACWA and the four listed decontamination products in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to VR...four listed decontamination products and SERPACWA in the haired guinea pig model following exposure to VR (Russian VX, EA4243, Soviet V-gas

Material Compatibility for Historic Items Decontaminated with ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This project continued research of the effects of decontamination methods for biological agents on materials identified as representative of types of irreplaceable objects or works of art found in museums and/or archive settings. In the previous research, surrogate materials were checked for compatibility with four decontamination methods: chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide vapor, methyl bromide, and ethylene oxide gas. This project investigated the effects of gamma irradiation, which has also been shown to be an effective decontamination method for biological agents, on the surrogate test materials.

Timing of decontamination and treatment in case of percutaneous VX poisoning: a mini review.

PubMed

Joosen, Marloes J A; van der Schans, Marcel J; Kuijpers, Willem C; van Helden, Herman P M; Noort, Daan

2013-03-25

Low volatile organophosphorous nerve agents such as VX, will most likely enter the body via the skin. The pharmacokinetics of drugs such as oximes, atropine and diazepam, are not aligned with the variable and persistent toxicokinetics of the agent. Repeated administration of these drugs showed to improve treatment efficacy compared to a single injection treatment. Because of the effectiveness of continuous treatment, it was investigated to what extent a subchronic pretreatment with carbamate (pyridostigmine or physostigmine combined with either procyclidine or scopolamine) would protect against percutaneous VX exposure. Inclusion of scopolamine in the pretreatment prevented seizures in all animals, but none of the pretreatments affected survival time or the onset time of cholinergic signs. These results indicate that percutaneous poisoning with VX requires additional conventional treatment in addition to the current pretreatment regimen. Decontamination of VX-exposed skin is one of the most important countermeasures to mitigate the effects of the exposure. To evaluate the window of opportunity for decontamination, the fielded skin decontaminant Reactive Skin Decontaminant Lotion (RSDL) was tested at different times in hairless guinea pigs percutaneously challenged with 4× LD50 VX in IPA. The results showed that RSDL decontamination at 15 min after exposure could not prevent progressive blood cholinesterase inhibition and therefore would still require additional treatment. A similar decontamination regimen with RSDL at 90 min showed that it still might effectively increase the time window of opportunity for treatment. In conclusion, the delay in absorption presents a window of opportunity for decontamination and treatment. The continuous release of VX from the skin presents a significant challenge for efficacious therapy, which should ideally consist of thorough decontamination and continuous treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radioactivity decontamination of materials commonly used as surfaces in general-purpose radioisotope laboratories.

PubMed

Leonardi, Natalia M; Tesán, Fiorella C; Zubillaga, Marcela B; Salgueiro, María J

2014-12-01

In accord with as-low-as-reasonably-achievable and good-manufacturing-practice concepts, the present study evaluated the efficiency of radioactivity decontamination of materials commonly used in laboratory surfaces and whether solvent spills on these materials affect the findings. Four materials were evaluated: stainless steel, a surface comprising one-third acrylic resin and two-thirds natural minerals, an epoxy cover, and vinyl-based multipurpose flooring. Radioactive material was eluted from a (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator, and samples of the surfaces were control-contaminated with 37 MBq (100 μL) of this eluate. The same procedure was repeated with samples of surfaces previously treated with 4 solvents: methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, and ethanol. The wet radioactive contamination was allowed to dry and then was removed with cotton swabs soaked in soapy water. The effectiveness of decontamination was defined as the percentage of activity removed per cotton swab, and the efficacy of decontamination was defined as the total percentage of activity removed, which was obtained by summing the percentages of activity in all the swabs required to complete the decontamination. Decontamination using our protocol was most effective and most efficacious for stainless steel and multipurpose flooring. Moreover, treatment with common organic solvents seemed not to affect the decontamination of these surfaces. Decontamination of the other two materials was less efficient and was interfered with by the organic solvents; there was also great variability in the overall results obtained for these other two materials. In expanding our laboratory, it is possible for us to select those surface materials on which our decontamination protocol works best. © 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Evaluation of standardized sample collection, packaging, and decontamination procedures to assess cross-contamination potential during Bacillus anthracis incident response operations

PubMed Central

Calfee, M. Worth; Tufts, Jenia; Meyer, Kathryn; McConkey, Katrina; Mickelsen, Leroy; Rose, Laura; Dowell, Chad; Delaney, Lisa; Weber, Angela; Morse, Stephen; Chaitram, Jasmine; Gray, Marshall

2016-01-01

Sample collection procedures and primary receptacle (sample container and bag) decontamination methods should prevent contaminant transfer between contaminated and non-contaminated surfaces and areas during bio-incident operations. Cross-contamination of personnel, equipment, or sample containers may result in the exfiltration of biological agent from the exclusion (hot) zone and have unintended negative consequences on response resources, activities and outcomes. The current study was designed to: (1) evaluate currently recommended sample collection and packaging procedures to identify procedural steps that may increase the likelihood of spore exfiltration or contaminant transfer; (2) evaluate the efficacy of currently recommended primary receptacle decontamination procedures; and (3) evaluate the efficacy of outer packaging decontamination methods. Wet- and dry-deposited fluorescent tracer powder was used in contaminant transfer tests to qualitatively evaluate the currently-recommended sample collection procedures. Bacillus atrophaeus spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, were used to evaluate the efficacy of spray- and wipe-based decontamination procedures. Both decontamination procedures were quantitatively evaluated on three types of sample packaging materials (corrugated fiberboard, polystyrene foam, and polyethylene plastic), and two contamination mechanisms (wet or dry inoculums). Contaminant transfer results suggested that size-appropriate gloves should be worn by personnel, templates should not be taped to or removed from surfaces, and primary receptacles should be selected carefully. The decontamination tests indicated that wipe-based decontamination procedures may be more effective than spray-based procedures; efficacy was not influenced by material type but was affected by the inoculation method. Incomplete surface decontamination was observed in all tests with dry inoculums. This study provides a foundation for optimizing current B. anthracis response procedures to minimize contaminant exfiltration. PMID:27362274

Evaluation of standardized sample collection, packaging, and decontamination procedures to assess cross-contamination potential during Bacillus anthracis incident response operations.

PubMed

Calfee, M Worth; Tufts, Jenia; Meyer, Kathryn; McConkey, Katrina; Mickelsen, Leroy; Rose, Laura; Dowell, Chad; Delaney, Lisa; Weber, Angela; Morse, Stephen; Chaitram, Jasmine; Gray, Marshall

2016-12-01

Sample collection procedures and primary receptacle (sample container and bag) decontamination methods should prevent contaminant transfer between contaminated and non-contaminated surfaces and areas during bio-incident operations. Cross-contamination of personnel, equipment, or sample containers may result in the exfiltration of biological agent from the exclusion (hot) zone and have unintended negative consequences on response resources, activities and outcomes. The current study was designed to: (1) evaluate currently recommended sample collection and packaging procedures to identify procedural steps that may increase the likelihood of spore exfiltration or contaminant transfer; (2) evaluate the efficacy of currently recommended primary receptacle decontamination procedures; and (3) evaluate the efficacy of outer packaging decontamination methods. Wet- and dry-deposited fluorescent tracer powder was used in contaminant transfer tests to qualitatively evaluate the currently-recommended sample collection procedures. Bacillus atrophaeus spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, were used to evaluate the efficacy of spray- and wipe-based decontamination procedures. Both decontamination procedures were quantitatively evaluated on three types of sample packaging materials (corrugated fiberboard, polystyrene foam, and polyethylene plastic), and two contamination mechanisms (wet or dry inoculums). Contaminant transfer results suggested that size-appropriate gloves should be worn by personnel, templates should not be taped to or removed from surfaces, and primary receptacles should be selected carefully. The decontamination tests indicated that wipe-based decontamination procedures may be more effective than spray-based procedures; efficacy was not influenced by material type but was affected by the inoculation method. Incomplete surface decontamination was observed in all tests with dry inoculums. This study provides a foundation for optimizing current B. anthracis response procedures to minimize contaminant exfiltration.

Evaluation of Millstone-2 steam generator chemical decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snyder, D.T.; Blok, J.

The steam generator channel heads at Millstone-2 were decontaminated prior to carrying out extensive maintenance work in 1983. Isotopic gamma ray measurements were made of the inner channel head surfaces before and after the decontamination to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. The Combustion Engineering/Kraftwerk Union chemical decontamination, by itself, provided a decontamination factor ranging from 2.7 to 6.6 for the various steam generator surfaces. The corresponding average dose rate reduction factor, based on gross-gamma radiation surveys, was approximately 1.5 to 2.5. Following the chemical treatment, high pressure water flushing reduced the radiation levels still further, to an average overallmore » dose reduction factor of 5.3 to 7.2.« less

Commercial Cleaning Products for Chemical Decontamination: A Scoping Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

way to decontaminate food preparation surfaces in homes, restaurants, and processing plants that are tainted with ricin (http://www.acs.org/content...acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2011/march/hou sehold-bleach-can-decontaminate-food-prep-surfaces-in- ricin -bioterrorist- attack.html). Israel also

Contaminated Human Remains: Transportable Decontamination - 1. Technical Readiness Level Estimate. 2. Vaccinia Virus Ionizing Radiation Inactivation in a Human Phantom. 3. Current State of Technology Relevant to Development of a Transportable System for Treatment of Contaminated Human Remains

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-30

affect chemical agents. Therefore no change in the methods for chemical or radiological decontamination would be necessary. 14. Radiation...here is the high radiation doses do affect the ability to polymerase chain reaction methods. It appears, depending on the dose and target, these...2001) Bacillus spore inactivation methods affect detection assays. Appl Environ Microbiol. 67(8): p. 3665‐70. DeCarlos, A. and Paez, E. (1991

All-Weather Hydrogen Peroxide-Based Decontamination of CBRN Contaminants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, George W.; Procell, Lawrence R.; Sorrick, David C.

2010-03-11

A hydrogen peroxide-based decontaminant, Decon Green, is efficacious for the decontamination of chemical agents VX (S-2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate), GD (Soman, pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate), and HD (mustard, bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide); the biological agent anthrax (Bacillus anthracis); and radiological isotopes Cs-137 and Co-60; thus demonstrating the ability of this decontamination approach to ameliorate the aftermath of all three types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Reaction mechanisms afforded for the chemical agents are discussed as are rationales for the enhanced removal efficacy of recalcitrant 60Co on certain surfaces. Decontaminants of this nature can be deployed, and are effective, at very low temperatures (-32 °C),more » as shown for studies done with VX and HD simulants, without the need for external heat sources. Finally, the efficacy of a lower-logistics, dry decontaminant powder concentrate (utilizing the solid active-oxygen compounds peracetyl borate and Peroxydone) which can be reconstituted with water in the field prior to use, is presented.« less

Aerosol tests conducted at Aberdeen Proving Grounds MD.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brockmann, John E.; Lucero, Daniel A.; Servantes, Brandon Lee

Test data are reported that demonstrate the deposition from a spray dispersion system (Illinois Tool Works inductively charging rotary atomization nozzle) for application of decontamination solution to various surfaces in the passenger cabin of a Boeing 737 aircraft. The decontamination solution (EnviroTru) was tagged with a known concentration of fluorescein permitting determination of both airborne decontaminant concentration and surface deposited decontaminant solution so that the effective deposition rates and surface coverage could be determined and correlated with the amount of material sprayed. Six aerosol dispersion tests were conducted. In each test, aluminum foil deposition coupons were set out throughout themore » passenger area and the aerosol was dispersed. The aerosol concentration was measured with filter samplers as well as with optical techniques Average aerosol deposition ranged from 3 to 15 grams of decontamination solution per square meter. Some disagreement was observed between various instruments utilizing different measurement principles. These results demonstrate a potentially effective method to disperse decontaminant to interior surfaces of a passenger aircraft.« less

The Auburn Engineering Technical Assistance Program investigation of polyvinyl alcohol film developments pertaining to radioactive particle decontamination and industrial waste minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mole, Tracey Lawrence

In this work, an effective and systematic model is devised to synthesize the optimal formulation for an explicit engineering application in the nuclear industry, i.e. radioactive decontamination and waste reduction. Identification of an optimal formulation that is suitable for the desired system requires integration of all the interlacing behaviors of the product constituents. This work is unique not only in product design, but also in these design techniques. The common practice of new product development is to design the optimized product for a particular industrial niche and then subsequent research for the production process is conducted, developed and optimized separately from the product formulation. In this proposed optimization design technique, the development process, disposal technique and product formulation is optimized simultaneously to improve production profit, product behavior and disposal emissions. This "cradle to grave" optimization approach allowed a complex product formulation development process to be drastically simplified. The utilization of these modeling techniques took an industrial idea to full scale testing and production in under 18 months by reducing the number of subsequent laboratory trials required to optimize the formula, production and waste treatment aspects of the product simultaneously. This particular development material involves the use of a polymer matrix that is applied to surfaces as part of a decontamination system. The polymer coating serves to initially "fix" the contaminants in place for detection and ultimate elimination. Upon mechanical entrapment and removal, the polymer coating containing the radioactive isotopes can be dissolved in a solvent processor, where separation of the radioactive metallic particles can take place. Ultimately, only the collection of divided solids should be disposed of as nuclear waste. This creates an attractive alternative to direct land filling or incineration. This philosophy also provides waste generators a way to significantly reduce waste and associated costs, and help meet regulatory, safety and environmental requirements. In order for the polymeric film exhibit the desired performance, a combination of discrete constraints must be fulfilled. These interacting characteristics include the choice of polymer used for construction, drying time, storage constraints, decontamination ability, removal behavior, application process, coating strength and dissolvability processes. Identification of an optimized formulation that is suitable for this entire decontamination system requires integration of all the interlacing characteristics of the coating composition that affect the film behavior. A novel systematic method for developing quantitative values for theses qualitative characteristics is being developed in order to simultaneously optimize the design formulation subject to the discrete product specifications. This synthesis procedure encompasses intrinsic characteristics vital to successful product development, which allows for implementation of the derived model optimizations to operate independent of the polymer film application. This contribution illustrates the optimized synthesis example by which a large range of polymeric compounds and mixtures can be completed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1999. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2000-09-01

OAK A271 Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1999. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 1999 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials under the former Atomics International Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), amore » government-owned, company-operated test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, and subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Large-scale D&D activities of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. This Annual Site Environmental Report provides information showing that there are no indications of any potential impact on public health and safety due to the operations conducted at the SSFL. All measures and calculations of off-site conditions demonstrate compliance with applicable regulations, which provide for protection of human health and the environment.« less

Laboratory directed research and development program FY 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-03-01

This report compiles the annual reports of Laboratory Directed Research and Development projects supported by the Berkeley Lab. Projects are arranged under the following topical sections: (1) Accelerator and fusion research division; (2) Chemical sciences division; (3) Computing Sciences; (4) Earth sciences division; (5) Environmental energy technologies division; (6) life sciences division; (7) Materials sciences division; (8) Nuclear science division; (9) Physics division; (10) Structural biology division; and (11) Cross-divisional. A total of 66 projects are summarized.

Performances and microbial features of an aerobic packed-bed biofilm reactor developed to post-treat an olive mill effluent from an anaerobic GAC reactor

PubMed Central

Bertin, Lorenzo; Colao, Maria Chiara; Ruzzi, Maurizio; Marchetti, Leonardo; Fava, Fabio

2006-01-01

Background Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is the aqueous effluent of olive oil producing processes. Given its high COD and content of phenols, it has to be decontaminated before being discharged. Anaerobic digestion is one of the most promising treatment process for such an effluent, as it combines high decontamination efficiency with methane production. The large scale anaerobic digestion of OMWs is normally conducted in dispersed-growth reactors, where however are generally achieved unsatisfactory COD removal and methane production yields. The possibility of intensifying the performance of the process using a packed bed biofilm reactor, as anaerobic treatment alternative, was demonstrated. Even in this case, however, a post-treatment step is required to further reduce the COD. In this work, a biological post-treatment, consisting of an aerobic biological "Manville" silica bead-packed bed aerobic reactor, was developed, tested for its ability to complete COD removal from the anaerobic digestion effluents, and characterized biologically through molecular tools. Results The aerobic post-treatment was assessed through a 2 month-continuous feeding with the digested effluent at 50.42 and 2.04 gl-1day-1 of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. It was found to be a stable process, able to remove 24 and 39% of such organic loads, respectively, and to account for 1/4 of the overall decontamination efficiency displayed by the anaerobic-aerobic integrated system when fed with an amended OMW at 31.74 and 1.70 gl-1day-1 of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of biomass samples from the aerobic reactor biofilm revealed that it was colonized by Rhodobacterales, Bacteroidales, Pseudomonadales, Enterobacteriales, Rhodocyclales and genera incertae sedis TM7. Some taxons occurring in the influent were not detected in the biofilm, whereas others, such as Paracoccus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter, enriched significantly in the biofilter throughout the treatment. Conclusion The silica-bead packed bed biofilm reactor developed and characterized in this study was able to significantly decontaminate anaerobically digested OMWs. Therefore, the application of an integrated anaerobic-aerobic process resulted in an improved system for valorization and decontamination of OMWs. PMID:16595023

Decontamination of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from slag-polluted soil.

PubMed

Bisone, Sara; Mercier, Guy; Blais, Jean-François

2013-01-01

Metallurgy is an industrial activity that is one of the largest contributors to soil contamination by metals. This contamination is often associated with organic compound contamination; however, little research has been aimed at the development of simultaneous processes for decontamination as opposed to treatments to heavy metals or organic compounds alone. This paper presents an efficient process to decontaminate the soils polluted with smelting by-products rich in Cu, Zn and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A simultaneous treatment for metals and PAHs was also tested. The process is mainly based on physical techniques, such as crushing, gravimetric separation and attrition. For the finest particle size fractions, an acid extraction with H2SO4 was used to remove metals. The PAH removal was enhanced by adding surfactant during attrition. The total metal removals varied from 49% to 73% for Cu and from 43% to 63% for Zn, whereas a removal yield of 92% was measured for total PAHs. Finally, a technical-economic evaluation was done for the two processes tested.

A fit for purpose training programme for the decontamination of personnel.

PubMed

O'Mara, E; Cole, P; Wynn, A; Collison, R

2015-06-01

Contingency plans are a crucial part of operating any nuclear facility. The success of a contingency plan depends on the efficacy of the plan and the confidence and understanding of those who must enact it. This project focused on both of these aspects, clarifying technique and then designing and delivering a training programme for decontamination. The design of the training was based on the IAEA Systematic Approach to Training (SAT). The delivery focused on ways of increasing retention including use of practical examples and assessment, peer assessment and visual contingency plans. A quantitative survey of the trainees was conducted using a questionnaire before and after the training programme delivery. The results clearly demonstrate an improvement across all elements of skills and knowledge required to undertake decontamination. Effective training is fundamental to the development of a good safety culture and the methodology used in this work has led to a clear improvement in radiation protection culture at the Devonport site.

Evaluation of Commercially-Available Equipment for the ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The Underground Transport Restoration (UTR) project is an inter-agency effort. This effort aims to improve the capability for transit systems to quickly and efficiently recover from a biological contamination incident by refining existing methods, tools and protocols for characterization, clean-up, and clearance of contamination in physical structures (i.e., tunnels, stations) and rolling stock (i.e., subway trains). The aim was to evaluate existing sampling, characterization, and decontamination technologies through experimentation, table-top exercises and operational demonstrations to develop guidance and decision frameworks and support tools through interactions of local, state and federal partners. In this investigation, a survey of commercially-available or fielded equipment was conducted and resulted in three pieces of identified equipment that could be used or rapidly modified for use in dispensing liquid chemicals to decontaminate surfaces following a biological contamination incident. documenting lab-scale testing, field-scale testing, and an equipment demonstration of commercial equipment used to decontaminate subway infrastructure following a biological incident.

DECONTAMINATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SUBSTANCES FROM SPILLS AND UNCONTROLLED WASTE SITES BY RADIO FREQUENCY IN SITU HEATING

EPA Science Inventory

The radio frequency (RF) heating process can be used to volumetrically heat and thus decontaminate uncontrolled landfills and hazardous substances from spills. After the landfills are heated, decontamination of the hazardous substances occurs due to thermal decomposition, vaporiz...

40 CFR 761.79 - Decontamination standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... disassembled electrical equipment), concrete, and non-porous surfaces covered with a porous surface, such as... person decontaminating porous surfaces other than concrete under paragraph (b)(4) of this section and non..., concrete, or non-porous surfaces. (1) The decontamination standard for water containing PCBs is: (i) Less...

40 CFR 761.79 - Decontamination standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... disassembled electrical equipment), concrete, and non-porous surfaces covered with a porous surface, such as... person decontaminating porous surfaces other than concrete under paragraph (b)(4) of this section and non..., concrete, or non-porous surfaces. (1) The decontamination standard for water containing PCBs is: (i) Less...

40 CFR 761.79 - Decontamination standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... disassembled electrical equipment), concrete, and non-porous surfaces covered with a porous surface, such as... person decontaminating porous surfaces other than concrete under paragraph (b)(4) of this section and non..., concrete, or non-porous surfaces. (1) The decontamination standard for water containing PCBs is: (i) Less...

40 CFR 761.79 - Decontamination standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... disassembled electrical equipment), concrete, and non-porous surfaces covered with a porous surface, such as... person decontaminating porous surfaces other than concrete under paragraph (b)(4) of this section and non..., concrete, or non-porous surfaces. (1) The decontamination standard for water containing PCBs is: (i) Less...

40 CFR 761.79 - Decontamination standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... disassembled electrical equipment), concrete, and non-porous surfaces covered with a porous surface, such as... person decontaminating porous surfaces other than concrete under paragraph (b)(4) of this section and non..., concrete, or non-porous surfaces. (1) The decontamination standard for water containing PCBs is: (i) Less...

RE-ENTERING BUILDING FOLLOWING CHEMICAL ATTACK: MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SURFACE DECONTAMINATION

EPA Science Inventory

Prior to re-entering a building following a chemical attack, decontamination and testing must be conducted to determine whether toxic agents have been eliminated or reduced to safe levels. Building contents must also be decontaminated and tested or destroyed. Recent incidents i...

Automatic environmental disinfection with hydrogen peroxide and silver ions versus manual environmental disinfection with sodium hypochlorite: a multicentre randomized before-and-after trial.

PubMed

Mosci, D; Marmo, G W; Sciolino, L; Zaccaro, C; Antonellini, R; Accogli, L; Lazzarotto, T; Mongardi, M; Landini, M P

2017-10-01

New technologies for automated disinfection have been developed, including the use of hydrogen peroxide atomized by specific equipment, with associated silver compounds. To compare the effectiveness of an automated disinfection system with hydrogen peroxide <8% and silver ion versus a manual method with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution when evaluating the reduction of microbial mesophilic contamination and Clostridium difficile presence; and to evaluate the time required for both of these processes. This was a randomized multicentre trial performed in different hospital wards that had been occupied previously by patients with Clostridium difficile infection. When patients were discharged their rooms were randomized to one of two decontamination arms. The surfaces where sampled using swabs, before and after disinfection. Swab samples were cultured for quantitative detection of microbial mesophilic contamination and qualitative detection of C. difficile. Before disinfection, 13% of surfaces decontaminated with hydrogen peroxide and silver ions and 20% of surfaces decontaminated with sodium hypochlorite showed presence of C. difficile spores. After disinfection, the samples containing C. difficile were 0% (P < 0.001) in the group decontaminated with hydrogen peroxide and silver ions, and were 3% (P < 0.001) in the group decontaminated with sodium hypochlorite. This difference was not statistically significant; nor was the difference in the reduction of the microbial mesophilic contamination. The differences between the groups were not statistically significant; however, the disinfection with hydrogen peroxide and silver ions is preferable due to less dependence on operators. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 265.114 - Disposal or decontamination of equipment, structures and soils.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... equipment, structures and soils. 265.114 Section 265.114 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... decontamination of equipment, structures and soils. During the partial and final closure periods, all contaminated equipment, structures and soil must be properly disposed of, or decontaminated unless specified otherwise in...

40 CFR 265.114 - Disposal or decontamination of equipment, structures and soils.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... equipment, structures and soils. 265.114 Section 265.114 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... decontamination of equipment, structures and soils. During the partial and final closure periods, all contaminated equipment, structures and soil must be properly disposed of, or decontaminated unless specified otherwise in...

40 CFR 265.114 - Disposal or decontamination of equipment, structures and soils.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... equipment, structures and soils. 265.114 Section 265.114 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... decontamination of equipment, structures and soils. During the partial and final closure periods, all contaminated equipment, structures and soil must be properly disposed of, or decontaminated unless specified otherwise in...

40 CFR 265.114 - Disposal or decontamination of equipment, structures and soils.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... equipment, structures and soils. 265.114 Section 265.114 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... decontamination of equipment, structures and soils. During the partial and final closure periods, all contaminated equipment, structures and soil must be properly disposed of, or decontaminated unless specified otherwise in...

40 CFR 265.114 - Disposal or decontamination of equipment, structures and soils.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... equipment, structures and soils. 265.114 Section 265.114 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... decontamination of equipment, structures and soils. During the partial and final closure periods, all contaminated equipment, structures and soil must be properly disposed of, or decontaminated unless specified otherwise in...

75 FR 34774 - Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-18

... and initiated a survey and decontamination of the Facility. Based on the Licensee's historical... decontamination activities, in accordance with their NRC-approved, operating radiation safety procedures, were... survey, the Licensee conducted decontamination activities, as necessary, in the areas of the Facility...

SURFACE DECONTAMINATION EFFICACY STUDIES FOR ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technical Brief This Technical Brief summarizes the findings from three studies in which the decontamination efficacy was determined for various liquid contaminants when applied to various surfaces that are contaminated with blister agents (vesicants).This may provide decision-makers with practical information on surface decontaminations options during a blister agent response.

Precipitation-adsorption process for the decontamination of nuclear waste supernates

DOEpatents

Lee, Lien-Mow; Kilpatrick, Lester L.

1984-01-01

High-level nuclear waste supernate is decontaminated of cesium by precipitation of the cesium and potassium with sodium tetraphenyl boron. Simultaneously, strontium-90 is removed from the waste supernate sorption of insoluble sodium titanate. The waste solution is then filtered to separate the solution decontaminated of cesium and strontium.

Precipitation-adsorption process for the decontamination of nuclear waste supernates

DOEpatents

Lee, L.M.; Kilpatrick, L.L.

1982-05-19

High-level nuclear waste supernate is decontaminated of cesium by precipitation of the cesium and potassium with sodium tetraphenyl boron. Simultaneously, strontium-90 is removed from the waste supernate sorption of insoluble sodium titanate. The waste solution is then filtered to separate the solution decontaminated of cesium and strontium.

40 CFR 761.386 - Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. 761.386 Section 761.386 Protection of... (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Comparison Study for... experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. The following...

40 CFR 761.386 - Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. 761.386 Section 761.386 Protection of... (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Comparison Study for... experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. The following...

40 CFR 761.386 - Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. 761.386 Section 761.386 Protection of... experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. The following experimental conditions apply for any solvent: (a) Temperature and pressure. Conduct the validation study and...

40 CFR 761.386 - Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. 761.386 Section 761.386 Protection of... experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. The following experimental conditions apply for any solvent: (a) Temperature and pressure. Conduct the validation study and...

40 CFR 761.386 - Required experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. 761.386 Section 761.386 Protection of... experimental conditions for the validation study and subsequent use during decontamination. The following experimental conditions apply for any solvent: (a) Temperature and pressure. Conduct the validation study and...

The pharmacological activity of medical herbs after microbiological decontamination by irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owczarczyk, H. B.; Migdał, W.; K ȩdzia, B.

2000-03-01

In the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology research on microbiological decontamination of medicinal herbs by irradiation has been carried out since 1996. It was shown that using ionizing radiation (a dose of 10 kGy) can obtain satisfactory results of microbiological decontamination of these products. The content of essential biologically active substances such as essential oils, flavonoids, glycosides, anthocyans, antra-compounds, poliphenoloacids, triterpene saponins, oleanosides and plants mucus did not change significantly after irradiation. Pharmacological activity of medicinal herbs has been found satisfactory after microbiological decontamination by irradiation.

Skin decontamination: principles and perspectives.

PubMed

Chan, Heidi P; Zhai, Hongbo; Hui, Xiaoying; Maibach, Howard I

2013-11-01

Skin decontamination is the primary intervention needed in chemical, biological and radiological exposures, involving immediate removal of the contaminant from the skin performed in the most efficient way. The most readily available decontamination system on a practical basis is washing with soap and water or water only. Timely use of flushing with copious amounts of water may physically remove the contaminant. However, this traditional method may not be completely effective, and contaminants left on the skin after traditional washing procedures can have toxic consequences. This article focuses on the principles and practices of skin decontamination.

Health care facility-based decontamination of victims exposed to chemical, biological, and radiological materials.

PubMed

Koenig, Kristi L; Boatright, Connie J; Hancock, John A; Denny, Frank J; Teeter, David S; Kahn, Christopher A; Schultz, Carl H

2008-01-01

Since the US terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, concern regarding use of chemical, biological, or radiological weapons is heightened. Many victims of such an attack would present directly to health care facilities without first undergoing field decontamination. This article reviews basic tenets and recommendations for health care facility-based decontamination, including regulatory concerns, types of contaminants, comprehensive decontamination procedures (including crowd control, triage, removal of contaminated garments, cleaning of body contaminants, and management of contaminated materials and equipment), and a discussion of methods to achieve preparedness.

Microbiological Burden on the Surfaces of Explorer XXXIII Spacecraft1

PubMed Central

Powers, Edmund M.

1967-01-01

The Explorer XXXIII Spacecraft (Anchored Interplanetary Monitoring Platform, or AIMP) was decontaminated to prevent gross contamination of the moon with terrestrial microorganisms. Assay of the total spacecraft surface before and after decontamination showed that the decontamination procedure reduced the viable microbiological burden from 1.40 × 106 to 3.60 × 104. However, assembly of parts which were not decontaminated for engineering reasons or were not assembled under cleanroom conditions increased the viable microbial burden at the time of launch to 2.62 × 105. Images Fig. 2 PMID:6053173

Metal Surface Decontamination by the PFC Solution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hui-Jun Won; Gye-Nam Kim; Wang-Kyu Choi

2006-07-01

PFC (per-fluorocarbon) spray decontamination equipment was fabricated and its decontamination behavior was investigated. Europium oxide powder was mixed with the isotope solution which contains Co-60 and Cs-137. The different shape of metal specimens artificially contaminated with europium oxide powder was used as the surrogate contaminants. Before and after the application of the PFC spray decontamination method, the radioactivity of the metal specimens was measured by MCA. The decontamination factors were in the range from 9.6 to 62.4. The spent PFC solution was recycled by distillation. Before and after distillation, the turbidity of PFC solution was also measured. From the testmore » results, it was found that more than 98% of the PFC solution could be recycled by a distillation. (authors)« less

Improvement in ultraviolet based decontamination rate using meta-materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enaki, Nicolae A.; Bazgan, Sergiu; Ciobanu, Nellu; Turcan, Marina; Paslari, Tatiana; Ristoscu, Carmen; Vaseashta, Ashok; Mihailescu, Ion N.

2017-09-01

We propose a method of decontamination using photon-crystals consisting of microspheres and fiber optics structures with various geometries. The efficient decontamination using the surface of the evanescent zone of meta-materials opens a new perspective in the decontamination procedures. We propose different topological structures of meta-materials to increase the contact surface of UV radiation with contaminated liquid. Recent observation of the trapping of dielectric particles along the fibers help us propose a new perspective on the new possibilities to trap the viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms from liquids, in this special zone, where the effective UV coherent Raman decontamination becomes possible. The nonlinear theory of the excitation of vibration modes of bio-molecule of viruses and bacteria is revised, taking into consideration the bimodal coherent states in coherent Raman excitation of biomolecules.

Hairy skin exposure to VX in vitro: effectiveness of delayed decontamination.

PubMed

Rolland, P; Bolzinger, M-A; Cruz, C; Josse, D; Briançon, S

2013-02-01

The chemical warfare agents such as VX represent a threat for both military and civilians, which involves an immediate need of effective decontamination systems. Since human scalp is usually unprotected compared to other body regions covered with clothes, it could be a preferential site of exposure in case of terrorist acts. The purpose of this study was to determine if skin decontamination could be efficient when performed more than 1h after exposure. In addition, the impact of hairs in skin contamination was investigated. By using in vitro skin models, we demonstrated that about 75% of the applied quantity of VX was recovered on the skin surface 2h after skin exposition, which means that it is worth decontaminating even if contamination occurred 2h before. The stratum corneum reservoir for VX was quickly established and persistent. In addition, the presence of hairs modified the percutaneous penetration of the nerve agent by binding of VX to hairs. Hair shaft has thus to be taken into account in the decontamination process. Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) and Fuller's Earth (FE) were active in the skin decontamination 45min post-exposure, but RSDL was more efficient in reducing the amount of VX either in the skin or in the hair. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of four different fuller's earth formulations in skin decontamination.

PubMed

Roul, Annick; Le, Cong-Anh-Khanh; Gustin, Marie-Paule; Clavaud, Emmanuel; Verrier, Bernard; Pirot, Fabrice; Falson, Françoise

2017-12-01

Industrial accidents, wars and terrorist threats are potential sources of skin contamination by highly toxic chemical warfare agents and manufacturing compounds. We have compared the time-dependent adsorption capacity and decontamination efficiency of fuller's earth (FE) for four different formulations for the molecular tracer, 4-cyanophenol (4-CP), in vitro and ex vivo using water decontamination as standard. The adsorption capacity of FE was assessed in vitro for 4-CP aqueous solutions whereas decontamination efficiency was investigated ex vivo by tracking porcine skin 4-CP content using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Decontamination was performed on short time, exposed porcine skin to 4-CP by application of FE: (1) as free powder; (2) loaded on adhesive tape; (3) on powdered glove; or (4) in suspension. Removal rate of 4-CP from aqueous solutions correlates with the amount of FE and its contact time. Decontamination efficiency estimated by the percentage of 4-CP recovery from contaminated porcine skin, achieved 54% with water, ranged between ~60 and 70% with dry FE and reached ~90% with FE suspension. Successful decontamination of the FE suspension, enabling a dramatic reduction of skin contamination after a brief exposure scenario, appears to be rapid, reliable and should be formulated in a new device ready to use for self-application. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Decontamination of a drinking water pipeline system contaminated with adenovirus and Escherichia coli utilizing peracetic acid and chlorine.

PubMed

Kauppinen, Ari; Ikonen, Jenni; Pursiainen, Anna; Pitkänen, Tarja; Miettinen, Ilkka T

2012-09-01

A contaminated drinking water distribution network can be responsible for major outbreaks of infections. In this study, two chemical decontaminants, peracetic acid (PAA) and chlorine, were used to test how a laboratory-scale pipeline system can be cleaned after simultaneous contamination with human adenovirus 40 (AdV40) and Escherichia coli. In addition, the effect of the decontaminants on biofilms was followed as heterotrophic plate counts (HPC) and total cell counts (TCC). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine AdV40 and plate counting was used to enumerate E. coli. PAA and chlorine proved to be effective decontaminants since they decreased the levels of AdV40 and E. coli to below method detection limits in both water and biofilms. However, without decontamination, AdV40 remained present in the pipelines for up to 4 days. In contrast, the concentration of cultivable E. coli decreased rapidly in the control pipelines, implying that E. coli may be an inadequate indicator for the presence of viral pathogens. Biofilms responded to the decontaminants by decreased HPCs while TCC remained stable. This indicates that the mechanism of pipeline decontamination by chlorine and PAA is inactivation rather than physical removal of microbes.

Influence of Decontaminating Agents and Swipe Materials on Laboratory Simulated Working Surfaces Wet Spilled with Sodium Pertechnetate

PubMed Central

Akchata, Suman; Lavanya, K; Shivanand, Bhushan

2017-01-01

Context: Decontamination of various working surfaces with sodium pertechnetate minor spillage is essential for maintaining good radiation safety practices as well as for regulatory compliance. Aim: To observe the influences of decontaminating agents and swipe materials on different type of surfaces used in nuclear medicine laboratory work area wet spilled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) sodium pertechnetate. Settings and Design: Lab-simulated working surface materials. Experimental study design. Materials and Methods: Direct decontamination method on dust-free lab simulated new working surfaces [stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Perspex, resin] using four decontaminating agents [tap water, soap water (SW), Radiacwash, and spirit] with four different swipe material [cotton, tissue paper (TP), Whatman paper (WP), adsorbent sheet (AS)] was taken 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Statistical Analysis: Parametric test two-way analysis of variance is used with significance level of 0.005, was used to evaluate statistical differences between different group of decontaminating agent and swipe material, and the results are expressed in mean ± SD. Results: Decontamination factor is calculated after five cleaning for each group. A total of 160 samples result calculated using four decontaminating agent (tap water, SW, Radiacwash, and spirit), four swipe material (cotton, TP, WP, and AS) for commonly used surface (stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, resin) using direct method by 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Conclusions: Tap water is the best decontaminating agent compared with SW, Radiac wash and spirit for the laboratory simulated stainless steel, PVC, and Perspex surface material, whereas in case of resin surface material, SW decontaminating agent is showing better effectiveness. Cotton is the best swipe material compared to WP-1, AS and TP for the stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, and resin laboratory simulated surface materials. Perspex and stainless steel are the most suitable and recommended laboratory surface material compared to PVC and resin in nuclear medicine. Radiacwash may show better result for 99mTc labelled product and other radionuclide contamination on the laboratory working surface area. PMID:28680198

Nuclear Research Reactor IEA-R1 - A Study of the Preparing for Decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopes, Valdir Maciel; Filho, Tufic Madi; Ricci, Walter

2015-07-01

The Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN), Sao Paulo, according to the assignments given by the National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN), enabled the development of this study, especially operational reports about refurbishing carried out on 2013, involving the production of radioisotopes and research in the areas of Radiochemistry and Nuclear Physics. These reports are made in accordance with established standard procedures to meet the requirements of CNEN (National Nuclear Energy Commission, the regulator the nuclear area activities in Brazil) and IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). This study presents an assessment of the procedures and methods of treatments formore » decontamination of the refrigeration primary circuit and changes parts, equipment and tubes of the of the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor, pool type, power between 3,5 and 4,5 MW. In order to have a sequence in the work, the well-known contaminant radioisotopes were evaluated firstly, using Geiger- Muller equipment. In the second phase, the decontamination was done manually together with the ultrasound cleaning and washing equipment. From the several water solutions of citric acid assessment, the concentration with better confidence was obtained; in order to achieve the best results for decontamination. This study intends to define the best process for decontamination with low taxes of waste and without expensive costs. (authors)« less

Management of infection control in dental practice.

PubMed

Smith, A; Creanor, S; Hurrell, D; Bagg, J; McCowan, M

2009-04-01

This was an observational study in which the management policies and procedures associated with infection control and instrument decontamination were examined in 179 dental surgeries by a team of trained surveyors. Information relating to the management of a wide range of infection control procedures, in particular the decontamination of dental instruments, was collected by interview and by examination of practice documentation. This study found that although the majority of surgeries (70%) claimed to have a management policy on infection control, only 50% of these were documented. For infection control policies, 79% of surgeries had access to the British Dental Association Advice Sheet A12. Infection control policies were claimed to be present in 89% of surgeries, of which 62% were documented. Seventy-seven per cent of staff claimed to have received specific infection control training, but for instrument decontamination this was provided mainly by demonstration (97%) or observed practice (88%). Many dental nurses (74%) and dental practitioners (57%) did not recognise the symbol used to designate a single-use device. Audit of infection control or decontamination activities was undertaken in 11% of surgeries. The majority of surgeries have policies and procedures for the management of infection control in dental practice, but in many instances these are not documented. The training of staff in infection control and its documentation is poorly managed and consideration should be given to development of quality management systems for use in dental practice.

Skin decontamination efficacy of potassium ketoxime on rabbits exposed to sulfur mustard.

PubMed

Sun, Jing-Hai; Sun, Pei-Pei; Zheng, Wei; Han, Song; Ying, Ying; Liu, Hong-Yan; Zhang, Cheng; Zhao, Bao-Quan; Zuo, Guo-Min; Lu, Hong; Zhong, Yu-Xu

2015-03-01

The chemical weapon sulfur mustard (SM) is a blister agent, and currently, there is no effective antidote. To evaluate the decontamination efficacy of potassium ketoxime against SM and preliminarily elucidate its decontamination mechanism. Potassium ketoxime reacted with SM, and SM residues were tested at different time intervals by T-135 colorimetry after the reaction. Rabbit skin was topically exposed to 2 mg/cm(2) SM, treated with potassium ketoxime 1 min later, and observed after 6, 12, and 24 h. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was employed to screen and identify the main products of potassium ketoxime decontamination of SM. Potassium ketoxime had a great effect against SM contamination. With a mass ratio of decontaminant: SM of 50:1, decontamination rates against SM were 87.5% after 30 s, 95.9% after 1 min, and 99.0% after 5 min. Fifteen minutes after exposure to SM, the untreated group showed clear erythema lesions, whereas the experimental group showed no clear erythema lesions within 6 h. After 12 and 24 h, the areas of damaged skin in the experimental group were 0.038 and 0.125 cm(2), respectively, compared with 2.21 and 2.65 cm(2) in the control group. Histopathological analysis revealed that treatment with potassium ketoxime also reduced inflammation-induced damage. The results of this study indicate that potassium ketoxime reacted rapidly and completely with SM, and thus, it was found to be a suitable and effective skin decontaminant against SM. The decontamination reaction mechanism is mainly related to nucleophilic substitution.

Infections and exposures: reported incidents associated with unsuccessful decontamination of reusable surgical instruments.

PubMed

Southworth, P M

2014-11-01

Reusable surgical instruments provide a potential route for the transmission of pathogenic agents between patients in healthcare facilities. As such, the decontamination process between uses is a vital component in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. This article reviews reported outbreaks and incidents associated with inappropriate, inadequate, or unsuccessful decontamination of surgical instruments, indicating potential pitfalls of decontamination practices worldwide. To the author's knowledge, this is the first review of surgical instrument decontamination failures. Databases of medical literature, Medline and Embase, were searched systematically. Articles detailing incidents associated with unsuccessful decontamination of surgical instruments were identified. Twenty-one articles were identified reporting incidents associated with failures in decontamination. A large proportion of incidents involved the attempted disinfection, rather than sterilization, of surgical instruments (43% of articles), counter to a number of national guidelines. Instruments used in eye surgery were most frequently reported to be associated with decontamination failures (29% of articles). Of the few articles detailing potential or confirmed pathogenic transmission, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium spp. were most represented. One incident of possible variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission was also identified. Limitations of analysing only published incidents mean that the likelihood of under-reporting (including reluctance to publish failure) must be considered. Despite these limitations, the small number of articles identified suggests a relatively low risk of cross-infection through reusable surgical instruments when cleaning/sterilization procedures are adhered to. The diverse nature of reported incidents also suggests that failures are not systemic. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of four decontamination treatments on porcine renal decellularized extracellular matrix structure, composition, and support of human renal cortical tubular epithelium cells.

PubMed

Poornejad, Nafiseh; Nielsen, Jeffery J; Morris, Ryan J; Gassman, Jason R; Reynolds, Paul R; Roeder, Beverly L; Cook, Alonzo D

2016-03-01

Engineering whole organs from porcine decellularized extracellular matrix and human cells may lead to a plentiful source of implantable organs. Decontaminating the porcine decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds is an essential step prior to introducing human cells. However, decontamination of whole porcine kidneys is a major challenge because the decontamination agent or irradiation needs to diffuse deep into the structure to eliminate all microbial contamination while minimizing damage to the structure and composition of the decellularized extracellular matrix. In this study, we compared four decontamination treatments that could be applicable to whole porcine kidneys: 70% ethanol, 0.2% peracetic acid in 1 M NaCl, 0.2% peracetic acid in 4% ethanol, and gamma (γ)-irradiation. Porcine kidneys were decellularized by perfusion of 0.5% (w/v) aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate and the four decontamination treatments were optimized using segments (n = 60) of renal tissue to ensure a consistent comparison. Although all four methods were successful in decontamination, γ-irradiation was very damaging to collagen fibers and glycosaminoglycans, leading to less proliferation of human renal cortical tubular epithelium cells within the porcine decellularized extracellular matrix. The effectiveness of the other three optimized solution treatments were then all confirmed using whole decellularized porcine kidneys (n = 3). An aqueous solution of 0.2% peracetic acid in 1 M NaCl was determined to be the best method for decontamination of porcine decellularized extracellular matrix. © The Author(s) 2015.

Evaluation of Microwave Steam Bags for the Decontamination of Filtering Facepiece Respirators

PubMed Central

Fisher, Edward M.; Williams, Jessica L.; Shaffer, Ronald E.

2011-01-01

Reusing filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) has been suggested as a strategy to conserve available supplies for home and healthcare environments during an influenza pandemic. For reuse to be possible, used FFRs must be decontaminated before redonning to reduce the risk of virus transmission; however, there are no approved methods for FFR decontamination. An effective method must reduce the microbial threat, maintain the function of the FFR, and present no residual chemical hazard. The method should be readily available, inexpensive and easily implemented by healthcare workers and the general public. Many of the general decontamination protocols used in healthcare and home settings are unable to address all of the desired qualities of an efficient FFR decontamination protocol. The goal of this study is to evaluate the use of two commercially available steam bags, marketed to the public for disinfecting infant feeding equipment, for FFR decontamination. The FFRs were decontaminated with microwave generated steam following the manufacturers' instructions then evaluated for water absorption and filtration efficiency for up to three steam exposures. Water absorption of the FFR was found to be model specific as FFRs constructed with hydrophilic materials absorbed more water. The steam had little effect on FFR performance as filtration efficiency of the treated FFRs remained above 95%. The decontamination efficacy of the steam bag was assessed using bacteriophage MS2 as a surrogate for a pathogenic virus. The tested steam bags were found to be 99.9% effective for inactivating MS2 on FFRs; however, more research is required to determine the effectiveness against respiratory pathogens. PMID:21525995

Effect of selective decontamination on antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Daneman, Nick; Sarwar, Syed; Fowler, Robert A; Cuthbertson, Brian H

2013-04-01

Many meta-analyses have shown reductions in infection rates and mortality associated with the use of selective digestive decontamination (SDD) or selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) in intensive care units (ICUs). These interventions have not been widely implemented because of concerns that their use could lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance in pathogens. We aimed to assess the effect of SDD and SOD on antimicrobial resistance rates in patients in ICUs. We did a systematic review of the effect of SDD and SOD on the rates of colonisation or infection with antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in patients who were critically ill. We searched for studies using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases, with no limits by language, date of publication, study design, or study quality. We included all studies of selective decontamination that involved prophylactic application of topical non-absorbable antimicrobials to the stomach or oropharynx of patients in ICUs, with or without additional systemic antimicrobials. We excluded studies of interventions that used only antiseptic or biocide agents such as chlorhexidine, unless antimicrobials were also included in the regimen. We used the Mantel-Haenszel model with random effects to calculate pooled odds ratios. We analysed 64 unique studies of SDD and SOD in ICUs, of which 47 were randomised controlled trials and 35 included data for the detection of antimicrobial resistance. When comparing data for patients in intervention groups (those who received SDD or SOD) versus data for those in control groups (who received no intervention), we identified no difference in the prevalence of colonisation or infection with Gram-positive antimicrobial-resistant pathogens of interest, including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (odds ratio 1·46, 95% CI 0·90-2·37) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (0·63, 0·39-1·02). Among Gram-negative bacilli, we detected no difference in aminoglycoside-resistance (0·73, 0·51-1·05) or fluoroquinolone-resistance (0·52, 0·16-1·68), but we did detect a reduction in polymyxin-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (0·58, 0·46-0·72) and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (0·33, 0·20-0·52) in recipients of selective decontamination compared with those who received no intervention. We detected no relation between the use of SDD or SOD and the development of antimicrobial-resistance in pathogens in patients in the ICU, suggesting that the perceived risk of long-term harm related to selective decontamination cannot be justified by available data. However, our study indicates that the effect of decontamination on ICU-level antimicrobial resistance rates is understudied. We recommend that future research includes a non-crossover, cluster randomised controlled trial to assess long-term ICU-level changes in resistance rates. None. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a process for high capacity arc heater production of silicon for solar arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, T. N.

1980-01-01

A high temperature silicon production process using existing electric arc heater technology is discussed. Silicon tetrachloride and a reductant, liquid sodium, were injected into an arc heated mixture of hydrogen and argon. Under these high temperature conditions, a very rapid reaction occurred, yielding silicon and gaseous sodium chloride. Techniques for high temperature separation and collection of the molten silicon were developed. The desired degree of separation was not achieved. The electrical, control and instrumentation, cooling water, gas, SiCl4, and sodium systems are discussed. The plasma reactor, silicon collection, effluent disposal, the gas burnoff stack, and decontamination and safety are also discussed. Procedure manuals, shakedown testing, data acquisition and analysis, product characterization, disassembly and decontamination, and component evaluation are reviewed.

Geometric parameters determination of the installation for oil-contaminated soils decontamination in Russia, the Siberian region and the Arctic zones climatic conditions with reagent encapsulating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shtripling, L. O.; Kholkin, E. G.

2018-01-01

The article presents the procedure for determining the basic geometrical setting parameters for the oil-contaminated soils decontamination with reagent encapsulation method. An installation is considered for the operational elimination of the emergency consequences accompanied with oil spills, and the installation is adapted to winter conditions. In the installations exothermic process thermal energy of chemical neutralization of oil-contaminated soils released during the decontamination is used to thaw frozen subsequent portions of oil-contaminated soil. Installation for oil-contaminated soil decontamination as compared with other units has an important advantage, and it is, if necessary (e.g., in winter) in using the heat energy released at each decontamination process stage of oil-contaminated soil, in normal conditions the heat is dispersed into the environment. In addition, the short-term forced carbon dioxide delivery at the decontamination process final stage to a high concentration directly into the installation allows replacing the long process of microcapsule shells formation and hardening that occur in natural conditions in the open air.

Study on hot melt pressure sensitive coil material for removing surface nuclear pollution dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Li, Jiao; Wang, Jianhui; Zheng, Li; Li, Jian; Lv, Linmei

2018-02-01

A new method for removing surface nuclear pollution by using hot melt pressure sensitive membrane was presented. The hot melt pressure sensitive membrane was designed and prepared by screening hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive and substrate. The simulated decontamination test of the hot melt pressure sensitive membrane was performed by using 100 mesh and 20 mesh standard sieve dust for simulation of nuclear explosion fall ash and radioactive contaminated particles, respectively. It was found that the single decontamination rate of simulated fall ash and contaminated particles were both above 80% under pressure conditions of 25kPa or more at 140°C. And the maximum single decontamination rate was 92.5%. The influence of heating temperature and pressure on the decontamination rate of the membrane was investigated at the same time. The results showed that higher heating temperature could increase the decontamination rate by increasing the viscosity of the adhesive. When the adhesive amount of the adhesive layer reached saturation, a higher pressure could increase the single decontamination rate also.

Enhancing activated-peroxide formulations for porous materials: Test methods and results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krauter, Paula; Tucker, Mark D.; Tezak, Matthew S.

2012-12-01

During an urban wide-area incident involving the release of a biological warfare agent, the recovery/restoration effort will require extensive resources and will tax the current capabilities of the government and private contractors. In fact, resources may be so limited that decontamination by facility owners/occupants may become necessary and a simple decontamination process and material should be available for this use. One potential process for use by facility owners/occupants would be a liquid sporicidal decontaminant, such as pHamended bleach or activated-peroxide, and simple application devices. While pH-amended bleach is currently the recommended low-tech decontamination solution, a less corrosive and toxic decontaminantmore » is desirable. The objective of this project is to provide an operational assessment of an alternative to chlorine bleach for low-tech decontamination applications activated hydrogen peroxide. This report provides the methods and results for activatedperoxide evaluation experiments. The results suggest that the efficacy of an activated-peroxide decontaminant is similar to pH-amended bleach on many common materials.« less

Video-Based Learning vs Traditional Lecture for Instructing Emergency Medicine Residents in Disaster Medicine Principles of Mass Triage, Decontamination, and Personal Protective Equipment.

PubMed

Curtis, Henry A; Trang, Karen; Chason, Kevin W; Biddinger, Paul D

2018-02-01

Introduction Great demands have been placed on disaster medicine educators. There is a need to develop innovative methods to educate Emergency Physicians in the ever-expanding body of disaster medicine knowledge. The authors sought to demonstrate that video-based learning (VBL) could be a promising alternative to traditional learning methods for teaching disaster medicine core competencies. Hypothesis/Problem The objective was to compare VBL to traditional lecture (TL) for instructing Emergency Medicine residents in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP; Irving, Texas USA) disaster medicine core competencies of patient triage and decontamination. A randomized, controlled pilot study compared two methods of instruction for mass triage, decontamination, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Emergency Medicine resident learning was measured with a knowledge quiz, a Likert scale measuring comfort, and a practical exercise. An independent samples t-test compared the scoring of the VBL with the TL group. Twenty-six residents were randomized to VBL (n=13) or TL (n=13). Knowledge score improvement following video (14.9%) versus lecture (14.1%) did not differ significantly between the groups (P=.74). Comfort score improvement also did not differ (P=.64) between video (18.3%) and lecture groups (15.8%). In the practical skills assessment, the VBL group outperformed the TL group overall (70.4% vs 55.5%; P<.0001), with significantly better performance in donning PPE and decontamination. Although not part of the original study design, a three-month post-hoc analysis was performed. When comparing the pre-intervention and three-month post-hoc performances, there were no significant differences in knowledge increases between VBL versus TL (P=.41) or in comfort (P=.39). Video modules can be as effective as TL when utilized to train Emergency Medicine residents in the ACEP disaster medicine core competencies of patient triage and decontamination. Curtis HA , Trang K , Chason KW , Biddinger PD . Video-based learning vs traditional lecture for instructing emergency medicine residents in disaster medicine principles of mass triage, decontamination, and personal protective equipment. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(1):7-12.

Task 90-17: Decontaminability study on the U. S. Army Resuscitation Device, Individual, Chemical (RDIC). Final report, 1 Oct 90-24 Jan 91

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dill, G.S.; Leonard, R.D.

1991-04-01

A study was performed to determine the effect of three commonly used field decontaminants, DS2, super tropical bleach (STB), and the M270 Decontaminating Kit, Individual (DKIE), on the Resuscitation Device, Chemical, Individual (RDIC). The RDIC system was analyzed to determine which components were accessible to chemical agents and could be degraded by them. The chemical agent susceptibility of the silicone rubber components is the weakest point in the RDIC system. The lack of accessibility of key components to the wetted DKIE wipes and the deterioration of key components by DS2 eliminates these two methods as possible decontaminant methods. STB hadmore » no noticeable effects on the RDIC and is recommended as the best field decontamination method.« less

[Assessment of decontamination processes: cleaning, disinfection and sterilization in dental practice in Poland in the years 2011-2012].

PubMed

Röhm-Rodowald, Ewa; Jakimiak, Bozenna; Chojecka, Agnieszka; Zmuda-Baranowska, Magdalena; Kanclerski, Krzysztof

2012-01-01

Effective decontamination of instruments is a key element of infection control and the provision of high quality in dental care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of decontamination procedures including cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of re-usable instruments in dental practices in Poland. The efficiency of disinfection and sterilization processes have been evaluated on the results of the questionnaires. The following information were taken into account: setting where disinfection and sterilization had been performed, preparation of dental equipment for sterilization (disinfection, washing and cleaning, packaging), the types of autoclaves and used types of sterilization cycles, routine monitoring and documentation of sterilization processes, treatment of handpieces and the frequency of surface decontamination. Data were collected from 43 dental practices (35 dental offices and 8 clinics). Disinfection and cleaning processes were performed manually in 63% of dental offices and ultrasonic baths were used in 53% of settings. Washer disinfectors were used in 23% of dental practices: in every researched clinic and in a few dental offices. All sterilization processes were performed in steam autoclaves, mainly in small steam sterilizers (81%). Dental handpieces were sterilized in 72% of practices, but only 33% of them performed sterilization in recommended cycle B. Sterilization processes were monitored with chemical indicators in 33% of practices. Biological monitoring of the processes was carried out at different intervals. Incorrect documentation of instruments and surfaces decontamination was recorded in several settings. There is still a need for improvement of decontamination processes in dental practice in Poland. Areas for improvement include: replacement of manual cleaning and disinfection processes with automatic processes, sterilization of dental handpieces after each patient, monitoring of a sterilization process with chemical and biological indicators. Reported incorrect procedures in decontamination of medical devices performed by questioned dentists and lack or inadequate response to asked questions indicate the lack of adequate knowledge about decontamination. Personnel who performs decontamination processes should be continuously trained.

Chemical Decontamination at Browns Ferry Unit 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartwig, Ed; Reid, Richard

2003-09-01

In May, 2002, the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Board of Directors approved the recovery and restart of Unit 1 at Browns Ferry Nuclear Station. As an initial step in the site characterization and restart feasibility review, a majority of the primary reactor circuit was chemically decontaminated. Close cooperation between TVA and vendor personnel resulted in project completion ahead of schedule with outstanding results. The final average decontamination factors were excellent, and the final dose rates were very low, with contact readings on most points between one and three mRem/hr. In addition to allowing TVA to do a complete and thoroughmore » job of determining the feasibility of the Unit 1 restart, the decontamination effort will greatly reduce personnel exposure during plant recovery, both whole body exposure to gamma radiation and airborne exposure during pipe replacement efforts. The implementation of lessons learned from previous decontamination work performed at Browns Ferry, as well as decontamination efforts at other plants aided greatly in the success. Specific items of note are: (1) The initial leak check of the temporary decontamination system should include ancillary systems such as the spent resin system, as well as the main circulation loop. This could save time and dose exposure if leaks are discovered before the use of such systems is required. (2) Due to the quick turnaround time from the award of contract, a vendor representative was onsite early in the project to help with engineering efforts and procedures. This aided greatly in completing preparations for the decontamination. (3) The work was performed under a single maintenance activity. This resulted in great craft and plant support. (4) The constant coverage by the site's decontamination flush directors provided timely plant support and interface. (5) The FPC system isolation and back flushing to prevent residual chemicals from being left in the FPC system should have been addressed in more detail in the pre-engineering study to prevent delays during the final system cleanup.« less

NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides technical information on a wide range of activities to aid in response to intentional release of anthrax in urban environments. It includes initial actions when a potential release is discovered, health and safety issues for responders, sampling and analysis methods, decontamination technologies, decontamination waste disposal, and communication with public. This document provides technical information on a wide range of activities to aid in response to intentional release of anthrax in urban environments. It includes initial actions when a potential release is discovered, health and safety issues for responders, sampling and analysis methods, decontamination technologies, decontamination waste disposal, and communication with public.

Report on the 2015 US Environmental Protection Agency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The 2015 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) International Decontamination Research and Development Conference brought together scientists, practitioners, and policymakers related to chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) remediation.

Proceedings of Meeting on Problems and Techniques Associated with the Decontamination and Sterilization of Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Posner, Jack (Editor)

1961-01-01

The United States is about to embark on an ambitious program of Lunar and Space Exploration. This program will not only serve the needs of the national and international scientific community but will also enhance the prestige of the United States in the eyes of the peoples of the world.There are many problems associated with such pioneering investigations, among which is included the effecting of adequate safe- guards against biological contamination of celestial bodies with ter- restrial microorganisms. In the not too distant future, the reverse problem of preventing contamination of our terrestrial body with extraterrestrial microorganisms must be considered. In order to determine the current status of decontamination and sterilization procedures and to arrive at areas of research required in order to increase the knowledge in this field, the NASA sponsored a meeting at which time this problem was discussed. Invitations to attend this meeting were extended to agencies actively concerned with the development of spacecraft and launch vehicles as well as those groups involved in the investigation and development of decontamination and sterilization techniques. The meeting was held in Washington, D, C. on June 29, 1960. The recorded minutes of this meeting, which have been edited, are included in this paper, as well as a listing of recommendations resulting from the deliberations.

Report of decontamination at Tominari Elementary School.

PubMed

Katsumi, S

2016-12-01

On 19 April 2011, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology designated 13 elementary schools, including Tominari Elementary School in Date city, as high-dose schools that needed to restrict outdoor activities due to the effects of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Approximately 1 week later, the municipal government took action to remove the topsoil from the school grounds, and the prohibition of outdoor activities at Tominari Elementary School was lifted. The school staff continued to work on decontaminating the surrounding areas using high-pressure washers and brushes. There were certain positive outcomes, but a more effective decontamination method was required. In July 2011, the municipal government started an environmental remediation project, both inside and outside the school buildings, with researchers and decontamination workers at Tominari Elementary School, involving members of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), local communities, and volunteers using various effective and specialised forms of decontamination. As a result, Tominari Elementary School was able to recommence swimming lessons at the end of the first semester, which had been thought to be impossible. This article will provide information about the importance of 'dialogue' for decontamination, how engagement of the experts gave members of the PTA and the local community a feeling of 'security and safety', and how the decontamination work was an ever-expanding collaborative work of a large number of people.

Decontamination methods for samples preserved in cetylpyridinium chloride and cultured on thin-layer agar.

PubMed

Ardizzoni, E; Mulders, W; Sanchez-Padilla, E; Varaine, F; de Jong, B C; Rigouts, L

2014-08-01

Long transportation times of samples to culture laboratories can lead to higher contamination rates and significant loss of viability, resulting in lower culture positivity rates. Thin-layer agar (TLA) is a sensitive culture method for the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that has been optimised with N-acetyl-L-cysteine-sodium hydroxide (NALC-NaOH) decontaminated samples. The combination of the TLA culture method and other decontamination procedures has not been extensively validated. Among 390 smear-positive samples, we compared the culture positivity of samples decontaminated using the Petroff method vs. NALC-NaOH neutralised with phosphate buffer (PBS), applied to samples preserved with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) or CPC-free, and then of CPC-preserved samples decontaminated with NALC-NaOH neutralised using Difco neutralising buffer. The sediments were inoculated on TLA, and then on MGIT 960 or Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) as gold standards. Decontamination with NALC-NaOH yielded higher culture positivity in TLA than in the Petroff method, which was further enhanced by neutralising CPC with the Difco buffer. Surprisingly, culture positivity on LJ also increased after using Difco buffer, suggesting that CPC may not be completely neutralised in egg-based medium. After transportation in CPC, decontamination using NALC-NaOH followed by neutralisation using Difco buffer resulted in the best recovery rates for samples inoculated on TLA and on LJ.

Decontamination of biological agents from drinking water infrastructure: a literature review and summary.

PubMed

Szabo, Jeff; Minamyer, Scott

2014-11-01

This report summarizes the current state of knowledge on the persistence of biological agents on drinking water infrastructure (such as pipes) along with information on decontamination should persistence occur. Decontamination options for drinking water infrastructure have been explored for some biological agents, but data gaps remain. Data on bacterial spore persistence on common water infrastructure materials such as iron and cement-mortar lined iron show that spores can be persistent for weeks after contamination. Decontamination data show that common disinfectants such as free chlorine have limited effectiveness. Decontamination results with germinant and alternate disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide are more promising. Persistence and decontamination data were collected on vegetative bacteria, such as coliforms, Legionella and Salmonella. Vegetative bacteria are less persistent than spores and more susceptible to disinfection, but the surfaces and water quality conditions in many studies were only marginally related to drinking water systems. However, results of real-world case studies on accidental contamination of water systems with E. coli and Salmonella contamination show that flushing and chlorination can help return a water system to service. Some viral persistence data were found, but decontamination data were lacking. Future research suggestions focus on expanding the available biological persistence data to other common infrastructure materials. Further exploration of non-traditional drinking water disinfectants is recommended for future studies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fighting antibiotic resistance in the intensive care unit using antibiotics.

PubMed

Plantinga, Nienke L; Wittekamp, Bastiaan H J; van Duijn, Pleun J; Bonten, Marc J M

2015-01-01

Antibiotic resistance is a global and increasing problem that is not counterbalanced by the development of new therapeutic agents. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance is especially high in intensive care units with frequently reported outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms. In addition to classical infection prevention protocols and surveillance programs, counterintuitive interventions, such as selective decontamination with antibiotics and antibiotic rotation have been applied and investigated to control the emergence of antibiotic resistance. This review provides an overview of selective oropharyngeal and digestive tract decontamination, decolonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and antibiotic rotation as strategies to modulate antibiotic resistance in the intensive care unit.

Chemical Decontaminant Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-20

make certain that the amine group on the VX is entirely in the freebase form needed for complete extraction into the chloroform. (3) When other...information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for information on ...material effects of decontaminants on fielded military equipment (material effects are defined as hardness). Mechanisms of decontaminating equipment

Enzymatic Decontamination of Environmental Organophosphorus Compounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-04

ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) The abstract is below since many authors do not follow the 200 word limit 14. SUBJECT TERMS organophosphorus compounds ...5404 Enzymatic decontamination of environmental organophosphorus compounds REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION ON THIS PAGE...239-18 298-102 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UL - 4-Dec-2006 Enzymatic decontamination of environmental organophosphorus compounds

Remediation following Man-made or Natural Disasters -Homeland Security Research

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA develops procedures mitigate contamination and to remediate the environment following public health and environmental incidents and disasters. Contamination incidents involving urban areas could require the decontamination of

Design of dental surgeries in relation to instrument decontamination.

PubMed

Smith, A J; Lockhart, D E A; McDonald, E; Creanor, S; Hurrell, D; Bagg, J

2010-12-01

Recent guidelines advise that the decontamination of dental instruments should be undertaken outwith the treatment area. The aim of this study was to determine the physical area of rooms in dental surgeries that decontaminate instruments within and outwith the treatment area respectively, and other factors relating to practice layout and ventilation. Data were collected by interview and observation of dental healthcare workers in dental practice in Scotland, UK. Room layouts were recorded and measured at floor, benchtop and above benchtop heights. Thirteen surgeries with instrument decontamination processes occurring in the treatment area and seven surgeries with instrument decontamination outwith the treatment area were selected at random for detailed analysis of room dimensions. Of the 179 dental surgeries surveyed, 55% were located in converted residential premises and most practitioners (91%) did not share premises with other healthcare providers. The median number of rooms in the practices was 8 (range: 2-21) and the median number of surgeries present was 3 (range: 1-6). Regardless of whether instrument decontamination facilities were housed within the treatment area or not, the average treatment area room size for both was 15.8m(2) (range: 7.3-23.9) (P=0.862), with 20% of the room area available as work surfaces. The median size of the seven instrument decontamination rooms (local decontamination units) was 7.6m(2) (range: 2.9-16.0), with, on average, 63% of the room used for work surfaces. This survey suggests that the historical location of dental surgeries in converted residential properties places many restrictions on appropriate design for healthcare premises. Copyright © 2010 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of impact of two decontamination solutions on the viability of the cells in human amnion.

PubMed

Smeringaiova, Ingrida; Trosan, Peter; Mrstinova, Miluse Berka; Matecha, Jan; Burkert, Jan; Bednar, Jan; Jirsova, Katerina

2017-09-01

Human amniotic membrane (HAM) is used as an allograft in regenerative medicine or as a source of pluripotent cells for stem cell research. Various decontamination protocols and solutions are used to sterilize HAM before its application, but little is known about the toxicity of disinfectants on HAM cells. In this study, we tested two decontamination solutions, commercial (BASE·128) and laboratory decontamination solution (LDS), with an analogous content of antimycotic/antibiotics for their cytotoxic effect on HAM epithelial (EC) and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). HAM was processed in a standard way, placed on nitrocellulose scaffold, and decontaminated, following three protocols: (1) 6 h, 37 °C; (2) 24 h, room temperature; (3) 24 h, 4 °C. The viability of EC was assessed via trypan blue staining. The apoptotic cells were detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL). The mean % (±SD) of dead EC (%DEC) from six fresh placentas was 12.9 ± 18.1. Decontamination increased %DEC compared to culture medium. Decontamination with BASE·128 for 6 h, 37 °C led to the highest EC viability (81.7%). Treatment with LDS at 24 h, 4 °C resulted in the lowest EC viability (55.9%) in the set. MSC were more affected by apoptosis than EC. Although the BASE·128 expresses lower toxicity compared to LDS, we present LDS as an alternative decontamination solution with a satisfactory preservation of cell viability. The basic formula of LDS will be optimised by enrichment with nutrient components, such as glucose or vitamins, to improve cell viability.

Optimisation of surfactant decontamination and pre-treatment of waste chicken feathers by using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Tesfaye, Tamrat; Sithole, Bruce; Ramjugernath, Deresh; Ndlela, Luyanda

2018-02-01

Commercially processed, untreated chicken feathers are biologically hazardous due to the presence of blood-borne pathogens. Prior to valorisation, it is crucial that they are decontaminated to remove the microbial contamination. The present study focuses on evaluating the best technologies to decontaminate and pre-treat chicken feathers in order to make them suitable for valorisation. Waste chicken feathers were washed with three surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulphate) dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium chloride, and polyoxyethylene (40) stearate) using statistically designed experiments. Process conditions were optimised using response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken experimental design. The data were compared with decontamination using an autoclave. Under optimised conditions, the microbial counts of the decontaminated and pre-treated chicken feathers were significantly reduced making them safe for handling and use for valorisation applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sterilization and disinfection in the physician's office.

PubMed Central

Drummond, D C; Skidmore, A G

1991-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To review the principles and practice of sterilization and disinfection of medical instruments in the office setting. DATA SOURCES: Searches of MEDLINE for articles published from 1980 to 1990 on disinfection, sterilization, cross infection, surgical instruments and iatrogenic disease, bibliographies, standard texts and reference material located in a central processing department. STUDY SELECTION: We reviewed surveys of decontamination practices in physicians' offices, reviews of current recommendations for office decontamination procedures, case reports of cross infection in offices and much of the standard reference material on decontamination theory and practice. DATA SYNTHESIS: There have been few surveys of physicians' decontamination practices and few case reports of cross infection. Office practitioners have little access to practical information on sterilization and disinfection. CONCLUSION: The increasing threat of cross infection from medical instruments calls for greater knowledge about decontamination. We have adapted material from various sources and offer a primer on the subject. PMID:1913427

Passive PE Sampling in Support of In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

elements: • Expendable items: including materials such as stainless steel mixing bowls/spoons, decontamination supplies (buckets, brushes, distilled...PE samplers. Traditional sediment sampling equipment would include items such as decontamination fluids, stainless steel mixing bowls and spoons...hazardous/hazardous wastes (excess sediment, decontamination fluids). There is not expected to be a big difference in solid waste disposal costs

Small-Item Vapor Test Method, FY11 Release

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

to this test procedure is provided alphabetically in the following list: absorption: The uptake of a contaminant INTO the volume of a material. The... powders , wipes), or gas-phase (fumigants, including aerosols). decontamination process: The process of making any person, object, or area safe by...with another contaminant. Generally, bare metals and glass are nonsorptive materials for some agents. operational decontamination: Decontamination

Decontamination Equipment Standards Workshop for Civilian First Responders

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Hazardous Materials Decontamination Radiological Survey Nuclear Chemical 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT u b. ABSTRACT u c. THIS...Washington, DC) sponsored the production of this material under an Interagency Agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology...responders currently use wet decontamination (i.e., soap and water) to remove contamination from personnel, the standard will not be specific to the

Understanding Mechanism of Photocatalytic Microbial Decontamination of Environmental Wastewater

PubMed Central

Regmi, Chhabilal; Joshi, Bhupendra; Ray, Schindra K.; Gyawali, Gobinda; Pandey, Ramesh P.

2018-01-01

Several photocatalytic nanoparticles are synthesized and studied for potential application for the degradation of organic and biological wastes. Although these materials degrade organic compounds by advance oxidation process, the exact mechanisms of microbial decontamination remains partially known. Understanding the real mechanisms of these materials for microbial cell death and growth inhibition helps to fabricate more efficient semiconductor photocatalyst for large-scale decontamination of environmental wastewater or industries and hospitals/biomedical labs generating highly pathogenic bacteria and toxic molecules containing liquid waste by designing a reactor. Recent studies on microbial decontamination by photocatalytic nanoparticles and their possible mechanisms of action is highlighted with examples in this mini review. PMID:29541632

Method and apparatus for the gas phase decontamination of chemical and biological agents

DOEpatents

O'Neill, Hugh J.; Brubaker, Kenneth L.

2003-10-07

An apparatus and method for decontaminating chemical and biological agents using the reactive properties of both the single atomic oxygen and the hydroxyl radical for the decontamination of chemical and biological agents. The apparatus is self contained and portable and allows for the application of gas reactants directly at the required decontamination point. The system provides for the use of ultraviolet light of a specific spectral range to photolytically break down ozone into molecular oxygen and hydroxyl radicals where some of the molecular oxygen is in the first excited state. The excited molecular oxygen will combine with water vapor to produce two hydroxyl radicals.

Decontamination assessment of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surfaces using a hydrogen peroxide gas generator.

PubMed

Rogers, J V; Sabourin, C L K; Choi, Y W; Richter, W R; Rudnicki, D C; Riggs, K B; Taylor, M L; Chang, J

2005-01-01

To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using hydrogen peroxide gas. Bacillus anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to > or =1000 ppm hydrogen peroxide gas for 20 min. Hydrogen peroxide exposure significantly decreased viable B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores on all test materials except G. stearothermophilus on industrial carpet. Significant differences were observed when comparing the reduction in viable spores of B. anthracis with both surrogates. The effectiveness of gaseous hydrogen peroxide on the growth of biological indicators and spore strips was evaluated in parallel as a qualitative assessment of decontamination. At 1 and 7 days postexposure, decontaminated biological indicators and spore strips exhibited no growth, while the nondecontaminated samples displayed growth. Significant differences in decontamination efficacy of hydrogen peroxide gas on porous and nonporous surfaces were observed when comparing the mean log reduction in B. anthracis spores with B. subtilis and G. stearothermophilus spores. These results provide comparative information for the decontamination of B. anthracis spores with surrogates on indoor surfaces using hydrogen peroxide gas.

Decontamination methods using a dental water jet and dental floss for microthreaded implant fixtures in regenerative periimplantitis treatment.

PubMed

Park, Shin-Young; Kim, Kyoung-Hwa; Shin, Seung-Yun; Koo, Ki-Tae; Lee, Yong-Moo; Chung, Chong-Pyoung; Seol, Yang-Jo

2015-06-01

This study evaluated decontamination methods using a dental water jet and dental floss on microthreaded implants for regenerative periimplantitis therapy. In 6 beagle dogs, experimental periimplantitis was induced, and decontamination procedures, including manual saline irrigation (control group), saline irrigation using a dental water jet (group 1) and saline irrigation using a dental water jet with dental flossing (group 2), were performed. After in situ decontamination procedures, some of the implant fixtures (n = 4 per group) were retrieved for analysis by SEM, whereas other fixtures (n = 4 per group) underwent regenerative therapy. After 3 months of healing, the animals were killed. The SEM examination indicated that decontamination of the implant surfaces was the most effective in group 2, with no changes in implant surface morphology. The histological examination also revealed that group 2 achieved significantly greater amounts of newly formed bone (6.75 ± 2.19 mm; P = 0.018), reosseointegration (1.88 ± 1.79 mm; P = 0.038), and vertical bone fill (26.69 ± 18.42%; P = 0.039). Decontamination using a dental water jet and dental floss on microthreaded implants showed positive mechanical debridement effects and positive bone regeneration effects.

Analysis of waste management issues arising from a field study evaluating decontamination of a biological agent from a building.

PubMed

Lemieux, P; Wood, J; Drake, J; Minamyer, S; Silvestri, E; Yund, C; Nichols, T; Ierardi, M; Amidan, B

2016-01-01

The Bio-response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) Project was a cross-government effort designed to operationally test and evaluate a response to a biological incident (release of Bacillus anthracis [Ba] spores, the causative agent for anthrax) from initial public health and law enforcement response through environmental remediation. The BOTE Project was designed to address site remediation after the release of a Ba simulant, Bacillus atrophaeus spp. globigii (Bg), within a facility, drawing upon recent advances in the biological sampling and decontamination areas. A key component of response to a biological contamination incident is the proper management of wastes and residues, which is woven throughout all response activities. Waste is generated throughout the response and includes items like sampling media packaging materials, discarded personal protective equipment, items removed from the facility either prior to or following decontamination, aqueous waste streams, and materials generated through the application of decontamination technologies. The amount of residual contaminating agent will impact the available disposal pathways and waste management costs. Waste management is an integral part of the decontamination process and should be included through "Pre-Incident" response planning. Overall, the pH-adjusted bleach decontamination process generated the most waste from the decontamination efforts, and fumigation with chlorine dioxide generated the least waste. A majority of the solid waste generated during pH-adjusted bleach decontamination was the nonporous surfaces that were removed, bagged, decontaminated ex situ, and treated as waste. The waste during the two fumigation rounds of the BOTE Project was associated mainly with sampling activities. Waste management activities may represent a significant contribution to the overall cost of the response/recovery operation. This paper addresses the waste management activities for the BOTE field test. Management of waste is a critical element of activities dealing with remediation of buildings and outdoor areas following a biological contamination incident. Waste management must be integrated into the overall remediation process, along with sampling, decontamination, resource management, and other important response elements, rather than being a stand-alone activity. The results presented in this paper will provide decision makers and emergency planners at the federal/state/tribal/local level information that can be used to integrate waste management into an overall systems approach to planning and response activities.

Experimental Approaches to Assessing the Impact of a ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Symposium Paper The US EPA, as part of the CRTI project team, is currently working to assess the impacts of an urban radiological dispersion device (RDD) and develop containment and decontamination strategies.

Electrokinetic decontamination of concrete. Final report, August 3, 1993--September 15, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-12-31

The ELECTROSORB{reg_sign} {open_quotes}C{close_quotes} process is an electrokinetic process for decontaminating concrete. ELECTROSORB{reg_sign} {open_quotes}C{close_quotes} uses a carpet-like extraction pad which is placed on the contaminated concrete surface. An electrolyte solution is circulated from a supporting module. This module keeps the electrolyte solution clean. The work is advancing through the engineering development stage with steady progress toward a full scale demonstration unit which will be ready for incorporation in the DOE Large Scale Demonstration Program by Summer 1997. A demonstration was carried out at the Mound Facility in Miamisburg, Ohio, in June 1996. Third party verification by EG&G verified the effectiveness ofmore » the process. Results of this work and the development work that proceeded are described herein.« less

Non-thermal plasma technologies: new tools for bio-decontamination.

PubMed

Moreau, M; Orange, N; Feuilloley, M G J

2008-01-01

Bacterial control and decontamination are crucial to industrial safety assessments. However, most recently developed materials are not compatible with standard heat sterilization treatments. Advanced oxidation processes, and particularly non-thermal plasmas, are emerging and promising technologies for sanitation because they are both efficient and cheap. The applications of non-thermal plasma to bacterial control remain poorly known for several reasons: this technique was not developed for biological applications and most of the literature is in the fields of physics and chemistry. Moreover, the diversity of the devices and complexity of the plasmas made any general evaluation of the potential of the technique difficult. Finally, no experimental equipment for non-thermal plasma sterilization is commercially available and reference articles for microbiologists are rare. The present review aims to give an overview of the principles of action and applications of plasma technologies in biodecontamination.

D and D: Dismantling and Release of Large Components at the GNS Premises in Duisburg on the Example of a CASTOR S1 Container - 13536

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oehmigen, Steffen; Ambos, Frank

There are a lot of metallic large components for the transport of radioactive waste in Germany. Some of these large components like for example the Castor S1 with 82 Mg are so old, that the transport via streets is not possible because the permission is not valid anymore. The application for a new permission is economically not reasonable. Out of this reason the large components need to be decontaminated and recycled to use them again in the economic cycle. Decontamination of large components by cleaning/removing the surface for example with beam technology is a very time-consuming release procedure. Manufacturing amore » specialized machine for decontamination and creation of a new surface was the intention of this project. The objective was to save interim storage and final repository volume and costs as well as developing a process that is nationally and internationally usable. 90% of the volume/mass of waste could be released and therefore possibly re-used. (authors)« less

Determination of lead isotopes in a new Greenland deep ice core at the sub-picogram per gram level by thermal ionization mass spectrometry using an improved decontamination method.

PubMed

Han, Changhee; Burn-Nunes, Laurie J; Lee, Khanghyun; Chang, Chaewon; Kang, Jung-Ho; Han, Yeongcheol; Hur, Soon Do; Hong, Sungmin

2015-08-01

An improved decontamination method and ultraclean analytical procedures have been developed to minimize Pb contamination of processed glacial ice cores and to achieve reliable determination of Pb isotopes in North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling (NEEM) deep ice core sections with concentrations at the sub-picogram per gram level. A PL-7 (Fuso Chemical) silica-gel activator has replaced the previously used colloidal silica activator produced by Merck and has been shown to provide sufficiently enhanced ion beam intensity for Pb isotope analysis for a few tens of picograms of Pb. Considering the quantities of Pb contained in the NEEM Greenland ice core and a sample weight of 10 g used for the analysis, the blank contribution from the sample treatment was observed to be negligible. The decontamination and analysis of the artificial ice cores and selected NEEM Greenland ice core sections confirmed the cleanliness and effectiveness of the overall analytical process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Residual antibiotics in decontaminated human cardiovascular tissues intended for transplantation and risk of falsely negative microbiological analyses.

PubMed

Buzzi, Marina; Guarino, Anna; Gatto, Claudio; Manara, Sabrina; Dainese, Luca; Polvani, Gianluca; Tóthová, Jana D'Amato

2014-01-01

We investigated the presence of antibiotics in cryopreserved cardiovascular tissues and cryopreservation media, after tissue decontamination with antibiotic cocktails, and the impact of antibiotic residues on standard tissue bank microbiological analyses. Sixteen cardiovascular tissues were decontaminated with bank-prepared cocktails and cryopreserved by two different tissue banks according to their standard operating procedures. Before and after decontamination, samples underwent microbiological analysis by standard tissue bank methods. Cryopreserved samples were tested again with and without the removal of antibiotic residues using a RESEP tube, after thawing. Presence of antibiotics in tissue homogenates and processing liquids was determined by a modified agar diffusion test. All cryopreserved tissue homogenates and cryopreservation media induced important inhibition zones on both Staphylococcus aureus- and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-seeded plates, immediately after thawing and at the end of the sterility test. The RESEP tube treatment markedly reduced or totally eliminated the antimicrobial activity of tested tissues and media. Based on standard tissue bank analysis, 50% of tissues were found positive for bacteria and/or fungi, before decontamination and 2 out of 16 tested samples (13%) still contained microorganisms after decontamination. After thawing, none of the 16 cryopreserved samples resulted positive with direct inoculum method. When the same samples were tested after removal of antibiotic residues, 8 out of 16 (50%) were contaminated. Antibiotic residues present in tissue allografts and processing liquids after decontamination may mask microbial contamination during microbiological analysis performed with standard tissue bank methods, thus resulting in false negatives.

Residual Antibiotics in Decontaminated Human Cardiovascular Tissues Intended for Transplantation and Risk of Falsely Negative Microbiological Analyses

PubMed Central

Gatto, Claudio; Manara, Sabrina; Dainese, Luca; Polvani, Gianluca; Tóthová, Jana D'Amato

2014-01-01

We investigated the presence of antibiotics in cryopreserved cardiovascular tissues and cryopreservation media, after tissue decontamination with antibiotic cocktails, and the impact of antibiotic residues on standard tissue bank microbiological analyses. Sixteen cardiovascular tissues were decontaminated with bank-prepared cocktails and cryopreserved by two different tissue banks according to their standard operating procedures. Before and after decontamination, samples underwent microbiological analysis by standard tissue bank methods. Cryopreserved samples were tested again with and without the removal of antibiotic residues using a RESEP tube, after thawing. Presence of antibiotics in tissue homogenates and processing liquids was determined by a modified agar diffusion test. All cryopreserved tissue homogenates and cryopreservation media induced important inhibition zones on both Staphylococcus aureus- and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-seeded plates, immediately after thawing and at the end of the sterility test. The RESEP tube treatment markedly reduced or totally eliminated the antimicrobial activity of tested tissues and media. Based on standard tissue bank analysis, 50% of tissues were found positive for bacteria and/or fungi, before decontamination and 2 out of 16 tested samples (13%) still contained microorganisms after decontamination. After thawing, none of the 16 cryopreserved samples resulted positive with direct inoculum method. When the same samples were tested after removal of antibiotic residues, 8 out of 16 (50%) were contaminated. Antibiotic residues present in tissue allografts and processing liquids after decontamination may mask microbial contamination during microbiological analysis performed with standard tissue bank methods, thus resulting in false negatives. PMID:25397402

Effects of decontamination work on riverine radiocaesium activity concentrations in Fukushima affected area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniguchi, K.; Onda, Y.; Yoshimura, K.; Smith, H.; Brake, W.; Kubo, T.; Kuramoto, T.; Sato, T.; Onuma, S.

2016-12-01

Radionuclides such as Cs-134 and Cs-137 were widely distributed in the area affected by the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The radionuclides were deposited on the surface, absorbed by soil particles, and transported via river systems to Pacific Ocean due to rainfall events. In order to reduce air dose rate surrounding residential area, decontamination works have been conducted between 2013 and 2016 Fiscal Years. In paddy field and farmland contaminated by the fallout, 5 cm of surface soil was stripped, and then clean sands put on the surface. This work could reduce radiocaesium inventory, while the coverage of vegetation was significantly decreased. Therefore, runoff characteristics in the decontaminated area were different before and after the decontamination. Activity concentrations of particulate Cs-137 were measured in Abukuma river system and 8 small catchments located in coastal zone of Fukushima affected area. In all monitoring sites, Cs-137 concentrations have decreased over an entire monitoring period. Kuchibuto river, which is a tributary of Abukuma river showed significant effect of decontamination. In Yamakiya district, in the watershed of the tributary, the decontamination work had conducted from 2013 FY to December 2015. Particulate Cs-137 concentration at two monitoring sites located in the district showed around 30% of decline in the beginning of 2014 FY whereas the decline was not so significant at sites in lower reach of the tributary. Decontaminated paddy field and farmland can be judged as the important source of suspended sediments in the tributary.

Conversion of transuranic waste to low level waste by decontamination: a technical and economic evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allen, R.P.; Hazelton, R.F.

1984-12-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using in-situ decontamination techniques to convert glove boxes and other large TRU-contaminated components directly into LLW. The results of the technical evaluation indicate that in-situ decontamination of these types of components to non-TRU levels is technically feasible. Applicable decontamination techniques include electropolishing, hand scrubbing, chemical washes/sprays, strippable coatings and Freon spray-cleaning. The removal of contamination from crevices and other holdup areas remains a problem, but may be solved through further advances in decontamination technology. Also, the increase in the allowable maximum TRU level from 10 nCi/g to 100more » nCi/g as defined in DOE Order 5820.2 reduces the removal requirement and facilitates measurement of the remaining quantities. The major emphasis of the study was on a cost/benefit evaluation that included a review and update of previous analyses and evaluations of TRU-waste volume reduction and conversion options. The results of the economic evaluation show, for the assumptions used, that there is a definite cost incentive to size reduce large components, and that decontamination of sectioned material has become cost competitive with the size reduction options. In-situ decontamination appears to be the lowest cost option when based on routine-type operations conducted by well-trained and properly equipped personnel. 16 references, 1 figure, 7 tables.« less

Polyoxometalate-based Catalysts for Toxic Compound Decontamination and Solar Energy Conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Weiwei

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have been attracting interest from researchers in the fields of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Biomolecular Chemistry, etc. Their unique structures and properties render them versatile and facilitate applications in medicine, magnetism, electrochemistry, photochemistry and catalysis. In particular, toxic compound (chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial compounds (TICs)) decontamination and solar energy conversion by POM-based materials have becoming promising and important research areas that deserve much attention. The focus of this thesis is to explore the structural features of POMs, to develop POM-based materials and to investigate their applications in toxic compound decontamination and solar energy conversion. The first part of this thesis gives a general introduction on the history, structures, properties and applications of POMs. The second part reports the synthesis, structures, and reactivity of different types of POMs in the destruction of TICs and CWAs. Three tetra-n-butylammonium (TBA) salts of polyvanadotungstates, [n-Bu4N]6[ PW9V3], [n-Bu4N] 5H2PW8V4O40 (PW 8V4), [n-Bu4N]4H 5PW6V6O40· 20H2O (PW6V6) are discussed in detail. These vanadium-substituted Keggin type POMs show effective activity for the aerobic oxidation of formaldehyde (a major TIC and human-environment carcingen) to formic acid under ambient conditions. Moreover, two types of POMs have also been developed for the removal of CWAs and/or their simulants. Specifically, a layered manganese(IV)-containing heteropolyvanadate with a 1:14 Stoichiometry, K4Li2[MnV14O40]˙21H2 O has been prepared. Its catalytic activity for oxidative removal of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (a mustard simulant) is discussed. The second type of POM developed for decontamination of CWAs and their simulants is the new one-dimensional polymeric polyniobate (P-PONb), K12[Ti 2O2][GeNb12O40]˙19H2O (KGeNb). The complex has been applied to the decontamination of a wide range of CWAs and their simulants under mild conditions and in the dark. The third part of this dissertation addresses the use of POM-based materials in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions. The structures, characterizations and catalytic hydrogen generation activities of a new tri-nickel-containing Wells-Dawson POM, [Ni3(OH)3(H2O)3P 2W16O59]9- and a new hybrid material that combines POMs, Pt nanoparticles (NPs) and MOFs are investigated.

Decontamination and disposal of PCB wastes.

PubMed Central

Johnston, L E

1985-01-01

Decontamination and disposal processes for PCB wastes are reviewed. Processes are classed as incineration, chemical reaction or decontamination. Incineration technologies are not limited to the rigorous high temperature but include those where innovations in use of oxident, heat transfer and residue recycle are made. Chemical processes include the sodium processes, radiant energy processes and low temperature oxidations. Typical processing rates and associated costs are provided where possible. PMID:3928363

PROCESS OF DECONTAMINATING MATERIAL CONTAMINATED WITH RADIOACTIVITY

DOEpatents

Overholt, D.C.; Peterson, M.D.; Acken, M.F.

1958-09-16

A process is described for decontaminating metallic objects, such as stainless steel equipment, which consists in contacting such objects with nltric acid in a concentration of 35 to 60% to remove the major portion of the contamination; and thereafter contacting the partially decontaminated object with a second solution containing up to 20% of alkali metal hydroxide and up to 20% sodium tartrate to remove the remaining radioactive contaminats.

Insight into Multifunctional Reactive Adsorbents: Engaging Chemistry, Porosity, Photoactivity and Conductivity into Decontamination Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-07

AUTHORS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAMES AND ADDRESSES 15. SUBJECT TERMS b. ABSTRACT 2. REPORT TYPE 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 5d...Insight Into Multifunctional Reactive Adsorbents: Engaging Chemistry , Porosity, Photoactivity and Conductivity into Decontamination Process The...Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 CWA decontamination, multifunctional adsorbents, porosity, surface chemistry

Vaporous Decontamination Methods: Potential Uses and Research Priorities for Chemical and Biological Contamination Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Decontamination assessment of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surfaces using a hydrogen...resistant to commonly used disinfectants and require the use of chemical sterilants † to effectively decontaminate exposed areas. Since anthrax...spores can aerosolise the use of vaporous sterilants in the remediation of contaminated areas is desirable. A number of vaporous sterilants exist which

Bioinspired Surface Treatments for Improved Decontamination: Slippery Omniphobic Covalently Attached Liquid (SOCAL)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-13

Omniphobic Covalently Attached Liquid (SOCAL) December 13, 2017 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Brandy J. White Brian J. Melde...Bioinspired Surface Treatments for Improved Decontamination: Slippery Omniphobic Covalently Attached Liquid (SOCAL) Brandy J. White, Brian J. Melde, Anthony...decontamination capabilities for painted surfaces. This report details results for evaluation of a slippery omniphobic covalently attached liquid (SOCAL) and

Oxidative Tritium Decontamination System

DOEpatents

Gentile, Charles A. , Guttadora, Gregory L. , Parker, John J.

2006-02-07

The Oxidative Tritium Decontamination System, OTDS, provides a method and apparatus for reduction of tritium surface contamination on various items. The OTDS employs ozone gas as oxidizing agent to convert elemental tritium to tritium oxide. Tritium oxide vapor and excess ozone gas is purged from the OTDS, for discharge to atmosphere or transport to further process. An effluent stream is subjected to a catalytic process for the decomposition of excess ozone to diatomic oxygen. One of two configurations of the OTDS is employed: dynamic apparatus equipped with agitation mechanism and large volumetric capacity for decontamination of light items, or static apparatus equipped with pressurization and evacuation capability for decontamination of heavier, delicate, and/or valuable items.

Planetary quarantine. Space research and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Planetary quarantine strategies for advanced spacecraft consider effects of satellite encounter, Jupiter atmosphere entry, space radiation, and cleaning and decontamination techniques on microbiological growth probability. Analytical restructuring is developed for microbial burden prediction and planetary contamination.

Science Inventory Products About Land and Waste Management Research

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Resources from the Science Inventory database of EPA's Office of Research and Development, as well as EPA's Science Matters journal, include research on managing contaminated sites and ground water modeling and decontamination technologies.

Land and Waste Management Research Publications in the Science Inventory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Resources from the Science Inventory database of EPA's Office of Research and Development, as well as EPA's Science Matters journal, include research on managing contaminated sites and ground water modeling and decontamination technologies.

Delisting toxicity evaluation of HTH and oxone(trade name) decontaminated VX. Final report, July 1989-March 1990

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manthei, J.H.; Heitkamp, D.H.; Buettner, L.C.

1992-07-01

The acute percutaneous (bare skin) LD50 was determined for EA 2192 in the rabbit. Also established were the effective doses (ED50s) for the major toxic signs observed. Dermal, Department of Transportation (DOT), tests with rabbits indicated that VX/HTH decontaminated waste is a Class B poison after being aged only 24 hr following initiation of the decontamination procedure. The same reaction, when allowed to age through about 2 half-lives (28-30 days), was no longer a Class B poison and was nonhazardous by Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) toxicity criteria. The DOT tests with OXONE decontaminated/neutralized VX showed this solution to bemore » less than a Class B poison by all three routes of administration (rat oral, rat inhalation, and rabbit dermal) after only 24-hr aging and a nonhazardous material by COMAR toxicity criteria.... vx, Rat, Half-life, ED50, EA 2192, Rabbit, COMAR, Decontaminated/Neutralized, HTH, OXONE, LD50.« less

Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber

DOEpatents

Herrmann, Hans W.; Selwyn, Gary S.

2001-01-01

An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O.sub.2 mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract.

PubMed

Krueger, Wolfgang A; Unertl, Klaus E

2002-04-01

Ventilator-associated pneumonia usually originates from the patient's oropharyngeal microflora. In selective digestive decontamination, topical antibiotics are applied to the oropharynx and stomach for prevention of pneumonia and other infections, possibly reducing infection-related mortality. Selective digestive decontamination is also used for the prevention of gut-derived infections in acute necrotizing pancreatitis and liver transplantation. Despite numerous clinical trials, selective digestive decontamination remains controversial. Reduction of the incidence of pneumonia is accepted, but the extent of reduction is debated. Mortality was not reduced in most individual trials, but this finding was calculated in meta-analyses, especially for combined use of topical and systemic antibiotics in surgical ICU patients. Some investigators reported increased resistance and a shift to Gram-positive pathogens. Today, it appears that selective means not only selective suppression of pathogenic bacteria but also selection of appropriate groups of patients for underlying diseases and severity of illness, and selection of ICUs, where the endemic resistance patterns might allow the use of selective digestive decontamination at a relatively low risk for increased selection pressure.

Mass Casualty Decontamination in a Chemical or Radiological/ Nuclear Incident: Further Guiding Principles.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Amlôt, Richard; Williams, Richard; Rubin, G James; Drury, John

2016-09-15

This short report presents a response to an article written by Cibulsky et al. (2016). The paper by Cibulsky et al. presents a useful and timely overview of the evidence surrounding the technical and operational aspects of mass casualty decontamination. It identifies three priority targets for future research, the third of which is how casualties' needs can be met in ways that best support compliance with and effectiveness of casualty decontamination. While further investigation into behavioural, communication and privacy issues during mass decontamination is warranted, there is now a substantial body of research in this area which is not considered in detail in the succinct summary provided by Cibulsky et al. (2016). In this short report, we summarise the available evidence around likely public behaviour during mass decontamination, effective communication strategies, and potential issues resulting from a lack of privacy. Our intention is to help further focus the research needs in this area and highlight topics on which more research is needed.

Mass Casualty Decontamination in a Chemical or Radiological/ Nuclear Incident: Further Guiding Principles

PubMed Central

Carter, Holly; Amlôt, Richard; Williams, Richard; Rubin, G. James; Drury, John

2016-01-01

This short report presents a response to an article written by Cibulsky et al. (2016). The paper by Cibulsky et al. presents a useful and timely overview of the evidence surrounding the technical and operational aspects of mass casualty decontamination. It identifies three priority targets for future research, the third of which is how casualties' needs can be met in ways that best support compliance with and effectiveness of casualty decontamination. While further investigation into behavioural, communication and privacy issues during mass decontamination is warranted, there is now a substantial body of research in this area which is not considered in detail in the succinct summary provided by Cibulsky et al. (2016). In this short report, we summarise the available evidence around likely public behaviour during mass decontamination, effective communication strategies, and potential issues resulting from a lack of privacy. Our intention is to help further focus the research needs in this area and highlight topics on which more research is needed. PMID:27790381

Low-Level Analytical Methodology Updates to Support Decontaminant Performance Evaluations

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

from EPDM and tire rubber coupon materials that were spiked with a known amount of the chemical agent VX, treated with bleach decontaminant, and...to evaluate the performance of bleach decontaminant on EPDM and tire rubber coupons. Dose-confirmation or Tool samples were collected by delivering...components • An aging or damaged analytical column • Dirty detector • Other factors related to general instrument and/or sample analysis performance

Method and coating composition for protecting and decontaminating surfaces

DOEpatents

Overhold, D C; Peterson, M D

1959-03-10

A protective coating useful in the decontamination of surfaces exposed to radioactive substances is described. This coating is placed on the surface before use and is soluble in water, allowing its easy removal in the event decontamination becomes necessary. Suitable coating compositions may be prepared by mixing a water soluble carbohydrate such as sucrose or dextrin, together with a hygroscopic agent such as calcium chloride or zinc chloride.

METHOD AND COATING COMPOSITION FOR PROTECTING AND DECONTAMINATING SURFACES

DOEpatents

Overhold, D.C.; Peterson, M.D.

1959-03-10

A protective coating useful in the decontamination of surfaces exposed to radioactive substances is presented. This coating is placed on the surface before use and is soluble in waters allowing its easy removal in the event decontamination becomes necessary. Suitable coating compositions may be prepared by mixing a water soluble carbohydrate such as sucrose or dextrin, together with a hygroscopic agent such as calcium chloride or zinc chloride.

Effects of Vaporized Decontamination Systems on Selected Building Interior Materials: Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

surfaces in buildings following a terrorist attack using CB agents. Vaporized hydrogen peroxide ( VHP ) and Cl02 are decontamination technologies that...decontaminant. The focus of this technical report is the evaluation of the building interior materials and the Steris VHP technology. 15. SUBJECT...TERMS Material Compatibility VHP vaporized hydrogen peroxide 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT U b. ABSTRACT U c. THIS PAGE U 17

A Survey and Evaluation of Chemical Warfare Agent-Decontaminants and Decontamination

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-15

0.21 citric acid monohydrate, 0.05% detergent, and 98.251 water) all contain calcium hypochlorite and have been used for decontaminating agents from...water repellent chemicals consist of an aluminum salt of a saturated carboxylic acid (such as format, acetate, palmitate, or stearate) mixed with...been conducted. Sawdust, soil, silicone, coal dust, amine or sulfonic acid -containing polymers, organic and inorganic ion-exchange materials, and metal

Efficacy of decontamination protocol by antimicrobial treatment in Iranian Tissue Bank (ITB).

PubMed

Dashti-Khavidaki, Simin; Dabardani, Fariba; Mahdavi-Mazdeh, Mitra; Ravanasa, Elham; Hosseini, Seyed Kazem

2015-09-01

Iranian Tissue Bank established in 1994 provides soft tissues for implantation in Iran. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of decontamination process of cardiac and soft tissues in Iranian Tissue Bank. In this bank after initial assessments, the tissues were incubated in a 5-antibiotic cocktail at room temperature for 24 h and then at 4 °C for 14 days. Contamination status was compared before and after antibiotic cocktail incubation. Of 3,315 assessed tissues, 1,057 were pericardia, 1,051 were fascia and 1,207 were other soft tissues including tibialis and aorta. The initial contamination rate was 36.86%. Pericardia showed the highest contamination rate. Klebsiella species was the most prevalent organism causing contamination. Decontamination rate after antibiotic incubation was 86.91% with the highest successful decontamination rate for fascia tissue. Klebsiella species was the major source of contamination in tissues that remained contaminated after antibiotic incubation. This may be due to resistance of this organism to applied antibiotics in the decontamination cocktail possibly due to a negative drug interaction between aminoglycoside and penicillin derivatives in this antibiotic cocktail. In conclusion collected data shows comparable efficacy of the decontamination process that is used in ITB compared with homograft banks of other countries.

Modelling Mass Casualty Decontamination Systems Informed by Field Exercise Data

PubMed Central

Egan, Joseph R.; Amlôt, Richard

2012-01-01

In the event of a large-scale chemical release in the UK decontamination of ambulant casualties would be undertaken by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). The aim of this study was to track the movement of volunteer casualties at two mass decontamination field exercises using passive Radio Frequency Identification tags and detection mats that were placed at pre-defined locations. The exercise data were then used to inform a computer model of the FRS component of the mass decontamination process. Having removed all clothing and having showered, the re-dressing (termed re-robing) of casualties was found to be a bottleneck in the mass decontamination process during both exercises. Computer simulations showed that increasing the capacity of each lane of the re-robe section to accommodate 10 rather than five casualties would be optimal in general, but that a capacity of 15 might be required to accommodate vulnerable individuals. If the duration of the shower was decreased from three minutes to one minute then a per lane re-robe capacity of 20 might be necessary to maximise the throughput of casualties. In conclusion, one practical enhancement to the FRS response may be to provide at least one additional re-robe section per mass decontamination unit. PMID:23202768

Chemical warfare agent simulants for human volunteer trials of emergency decontamination: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Wyke, Stacey; Marczylo, Tim; Collins, Samuel; Gaulton, Tom; Foxall, Kerry; Amlôt, Richard; Duarte‐Davidson, Raquel

2017-01-01

Abstract Incidents involving the release of chemical agents can pose significant risks to public health. In such an event, emergency decontamination of affected casualties may need to be undertaken to reduce injury and possible loss of life. To ensure these methods are effective, human volunteer trials (HVTs) of decontamination protocols, using simulant contaminants, have been conducted. Simulants must be used to mimic the physicochemical properties of more harmful chemicals, while remaining non‐toxic at the dose applied. This review focuses on studies that employed chemical warfare agent simulants in decontamination contexts, to identify those simulants most suitable for use in HVTs of emergency decontamination. Twenty‐two simulants were identified, of which 17 were determined unsuitable for use in HVTs. The remaining simulants (n = 5) were further scrutinized for potential suitability according to toxicity, physicochemical properties and similarities to their equivalent toxic counterparts. Three suitable simulants, for use in HVTs were identified; methyl salicylate (simulant for sulphur mustard), diethyl malonate (simulant for soman) and malathion (simulant for VX or toxic industrial chemicals). All have been safely used in previous HVTs, and have a range of physicochemical properties that would allow useful inference to more toxic chemicals when employed in future studies of emergency decontamination systems. PMID:28990191

A multi-parametric assessment of decontamination protocols for the subglacial Lake Ellsworth probe.

PubMed

Magiopoulos, I; McQuillan, J S; Burd, C L; Mowlem, M; Tsaloglou, M-N

2016-04-01

Direct measurement and sampling of pristine environments, such as subglacial lakes, without introducing contaminating microorganisms and biomolecules from the surface, represents a significant engineering and microbiological challenge. In this study, we compare methods for decontamination of titanium grade 5 surfaces, the material extensively used to construct a custom-made probe for reaching, measuring and sampling subglacial Lake Ellsworth in West Antarctica. Coupons of titanium were artificially contaminated with Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria and then exposed to a number of decontamination procedures. The most effective sterilants were (i) hydrogen peroxide vapour, and (ii) Biocleanse™, a commercially available, detergent-based biocidal solution. After each decontamination procedure the bacteria were incapable of proliferation, and showed no evidence of metabolic activity based on the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The use of ultraviolet irradiation or ethyl alcohol solution was comparatively ineffective for sterilisation. Hydrogen peroxide vapour and ultraviolet irradiation, which directly damage nucleic acids, were the most effective methods for removing detectable DNA, which was measured using 16S rRNA gene copy number and fluorescence-based total DNA quantification. Our results have not only been used to tailor the Ellsworth probe decontamination process, but also hold value for subsequent engineering projects, where high standards of decontamination are required. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2000. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Lee, Majelle

2001-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2000 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials, under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned company-operated, test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Large-scale D&D activities of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2000 continue to indicate no significant releases of radioactive material from Rocketdyne sites. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway.« less

75 FR 5146 - Hewlett Packard Company Business Critical Systems, Mission Critical Business Software Division...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-01

... Packard Company Business Critical Systems, Mission Critical Business Software Division, OpenVMS Operating... Software Division, OpenVMS Operating System Development Group, Including an Employee Operating Out of the..., Mission Critical Business Software Division, OpenVMS Operating System Development Group, including...

Land, Oil Spill, and Waste Management Research Publications in the Science Inventory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Resources from the Science Inventory database of EPA's Office of Research and Development, as well as EPA's Science Matters journal, include research on managing contaminated sites and ground water modeling and decontamination technologies.

Waste Technology Engineering Laboratory (324 building)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kammenzind, D.E.

The 324 Facility Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID) is comprised of twenty functional areas. Two of the twenty functional areas (Decontamination and Decommissioning and Environmental Restoration) were determined as nonapplicable functional areas and one functional area (Research and Development and Experimental Activities) was determined applicable, however, requirements are found in other functional areas and will not be duplicated. Each functional area follows as a separate chapter, either containing the S/RID or a justification for nonapplicability. The twenty functional areas listed below follow as chapters: 1. Management Systems; 2. Quality Assurance; 3. Configuration Management; 4. Training and Qualification; 5. Emergency Management; 6.more » Safeguards and Security; 7. Engineering Program; 8. Construction; 9. Operations; 10. Maintenance; 11. Radiation Protection; 12. Fire Protection; 13. Packaging and Transportation; 14. Environmental Restoration; 15. Decontamination and Decommissioning; 16. Waste Management; 17. Research and Development and Experimental Activities; 18. Nuclear Safety; 19. Occupational Safety and Health; 20. Environmental Protection.« less

Time-Dependent Effects of Chlorhexidine Soaks on Grossly Contaminated Bone

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

decontaminate . Methods: Fifty four bone segments were harvested from fresh frozen porcine legs. Each specimen was dropped onto a Mueller Hinton medium that was...P, 0.0001) and no difference between the 2%CHLand 4%CHLgroups. Conclusions: This study provides new data supporting the use of CHL to decontaminate ...bone may expedite the process of biofilm formation.1,6,7 Therefore, grossly contaminated bone seg- ments should be decontaminated with effective

Characteristics and Sampling Efficiencies of Two Personal Aerosol Samplers

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-01

stainless steel and plastic; therefore, it can be decontaminated easily by immersing in decontamination solution. 9 PAS-2 PAS-1 Figure 3. Picture of PAS...portable, and easy to use for decontamination . The sampling efficiency tests were conducted with monodisperse 0.5-, 1-, and 2.1-gtm fluorescent...Scientific, Corp., Palo Alto, CA). The PSL aerosols were generated using a 24 jet Collison nebulizer and then passed through a radioactive isotope (Kr-85

Design and Construction of a High Vacuum Surface Analysis Instrument to Study Chemistry at Nanoparticulate Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-21

various paints , metals, and polymers.2, 11 Furthermore, some CWAs are resistant to a certain decontamination formula or react with the decontamination...The use of solid-state decontaminants increases portability, decreases weight, and could potentially be incorporated into coatings or paints and...enclosure with weather stripping . Figure 2.8: Front and top views of the focusing optics enclosure. The dashed line indicates IR beam path. A

Decontamination of Subway Infrastructure Materials ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This report provides the results of an assessment to determine the decontamination efficacy of methyl bromide (MB) fumigant in inactivating Bacillus anthracis (B.a.; causative agent for anthrax) spores on materials typically found in subway system infrastructure. To facilitate future decontaminations employing MB in a subway environment, this investigation focused on finding efficacious conditions when using MB at temperatures that may be encountered in an underground subway system (i.e., temperatures lower than used in previous studies).

Microbial decontamination by low dose gamma irradiation and its impact on the physico-chemical quality of peppermint (Mentha piperita)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machhour, Hasna; El Hadrami, Ismail; Imziln, Boujamaa; Mouhib, Mohamed; Mahrouz, Mostafa

2011-04-01

Peppermint was inoculated with Escherichia coli and its decontamination was carried out by gamma irradiation at low irradiation doses (0.5, 1.0 and 2.66 kGy). The efficiency of this decontamination method was evaluated and its impact on the quality parameters of peppermint, such as the color and ash content, as well as the effect on fingerprint components such as phenols and essential oils, was studied. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were used to characterize essential oils and phenolic compounds, respectively. The results indicated a complete decontamination of peppermint after the low dose gamma irradiation without a significant loss in quality attributes.

Decontamination of biological warfare agents by a microwave plasma torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Wilson; Lai, Henry; Kuo, Spencer P.; Tarasenko, Olga; Levon, Kalle

2005-02-01

A portable arc-seeded microwave plasma torch running stably with airflow is described and applied for the decontamination of biological warfare agents. Emission spectroscopy of the plasma torch indicated that this torch produced an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen that could effectively oxidize biological agents. Bacillus cereus was chosen as a simulant of Bacillus anthracis spores for biological agent in the decontamination experiments. Decontamination was performed with the airflow rate of 0.393l/s, corresponding to a maximum concentration of atomic oxygen produced by the torch. The experimental results showed that all spores were killed in less than 8 s at 3 cm distance, 12 s at 4 cm distance, and 16 s at 5 cm distance away from the nozzle of the torch.

DIVISION OF ISOTOPES DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: 1968. Progress Reports on Sponsored Work.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1969-01-01

This is the second edition of the Division of Isotopes Development project summaries. It presents a short summary of objectives, results, and future plans for each research or development project sponsored by the Division within each of eight program areas.

Isolated human and animal stratum corneum as a partial model for the 15 steps of percutaneous absorption: emphasizing decontamination, part II.

PubMed

Hui, Xiaoying; Lamel, Sonia; Qiao, Peter; Maibach, Howard I

2013-03-01

Cutaneously directed chemical warfare agents can elicit significant morbidity and mortality. The optimization of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions counteracting these agents is crucial, and the development of decontamination protocols and methodology of post dermal exposure risk assessments would be additionally applicable to common industrial and consumer dermatotoxicants. Percutaneous (PC) penetration is often considered a simple one-step diffusion process but presently consists of at least 15 steps. The systemic exposure to an agent depends on multiple factors and the second part of this review covers absorption and excretion kinetics, wash and rub effects, skin substantivity and transfer, among others. Importantly, the partitioning behavior and diffusion through the stratum corneum (SC) of a wide physicochemical array of compounds shows that many compounds have approximately the same diffusion coefficient which determines their percutaneous absorption in vivo. After accounting for anatomical variation of the SC, the penetration flux value of a substance depends mainly on its SC/vehicle partition coefficient. Additionally, the SC acts as a 'reservoir' for topically applied molecules, and tape stripping methodology can quantify the remaining chemical in the SC which can predict the total molecular penetration in vivo. The determination of ideal decontamination protocols is of utmost importance to reduce morbidity and mortality. However, even expeditious standard washing procedures post dermal chemical exposure often fails to remove chemicals. The second part of this overview continues to review percutaneous penetration extending insights into the complexities of penetration, decontamination and potential newer assays that may be of practical importance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Decontamination Options for Bacillus anthracis-Contaminated Drinking Water Determined from Spore Surrogate Studies ▿

PubMed Central

Raber, Ellen; Burklund, Alison

2010-01-01

Five parameters were evaluated with surrogates of Bacillus anthracis spores to determine effective decontamination alternatives for use in a contaminated drinking water supply. The parameters were as follows: (i) type of Bacillus spore surrogate (B. thuringiensis or B. atrophaeus), (ii) spore concentration in suspension (102 and 106 spores/ml), (iii) chemical characteristics of the decontaminant (sodium dichloro-S-triazinetrione dihydrate [Dichlor], hydrogen peroxide, potassium peroxymonosulfate [Oxone], sodium hypochlorite, and VirkonS), (iv) decontaminant concentration (0.01% to 5%), and (v) exposure time to decontaminant (10 min to 1 h). Results from 138 suspension tests with appropriate controls are reported. Hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 5% and Dichlor or sodium hypochlorite at a concentration of 2% were highly effective at spore inactivation regardless of spore type tested, spore exposure time, or spore concentration evaluated. This is the first reported study of Dichlor as an effective decontaminant for B. anthracis spore surrogates. Dichlor's desirable characteristics of high oxidation potential, high level of free chlorine, and a more neutral pH than that of other oxidizers evaluated appear to make it an excellent alternative. All three oxidizers were effective against B. atrophaeus spores in meeting the EPA biocide standard of greater than a 6-log kill after a 10-min exposure time and at lower concentrations than typically reported for biocide use. Solutions of 5% VirkonS and Oxone were less effective as decontaminants than other options evaluated in this study and did not meet the EPA's efficacy standard for a biocide, although they were found to be as effective for concentrations of 102 spores/ml. Differences in methods and procedures reported by other investigators make quantitative comparisons among studies difficult. PMID:20709855

Influence on proliferation and adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts from different titanium surface decontamination treatments: An in vitro study.

PubMed

Cao, Jie; Wang, Tong; Pu, Yinfei; Tang, Zhihui; Meng, Huanxin

2018-03-01

To investigate the effects of different decontamination treatments on microstructure of titanium (Ti) surface as well as proliferation and adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Ti discs with machined (M) and sand blasted, acid etched (SAE) surfaces were treated with five different decontamination treatments: (1) stainless steel curette (SSC), ultrasonic system with (2) straight carbon fiber tip (UCF) or (3) metal tip (UM), (4) rotating Ti brush (RTB), and (5) Er:YAG laser (30 mJ/pulse at 30 Hz). Surface roughness was analyzed under optical interferometry. HGFs were cultured on each disc. Proliferation and adhesive strength were analyzed. qRT-PCR and ELISA were performed to detect the RNA and protein expression of FAK, ITGB1, COL1A1, and FN1 respectively from different Ti surfaces. Surface roughness increased on M surface. Proliferation, adhesive strength and gene expression were higher on M surface than SAE surface. Decontamination treatments affected surface parameters significantly (P < 0.001), making M surface less smooth while SAE surface became less rough. SSC, UCF, UM and RTB decreased proliferation on M surfaces significantly (P < 0.05). UCF, RTB and laser increased proliferation on SAE surface significantly (P < 0.05). UM decreased adhesive strength on M surface significantly and laser increased adhesive strength on SAE surface significantly (P < 0.05). Gene expression increased with time and was altered by decontamination treatments significantly (P < 0.001). Decontamination treatments influence surface roughness and cell behavior of HGFs. Laser might be an optimal decontamination treatment which has the least negative effect on M surface and the most positive effect on SAE surface. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of chlordecone and NDL-PCB decontamination dynamics in growing male kids after cessation of oral exposure: Is there a potential to decrease the body levels of these pollutants by dietary supplementation of activated carbon or paraffin oil?

PubMed

Lastel, Marie-Laure; Fournier, Agnès; Jurjanz, Stefan; Thomé, Jean-Pierre; Joaquim-Justo, Célia; Archimède, Harry; Mahieu, Maurice; Feidt, Cyril; Rychen, Guido

2018-02-01

Sixteen weaned male Alpine kids (Capra hircus) were subjected to a 21-day oral daily exposure of 0.05 mg kg -1 BW. d -1 of chlordecone (CLD) and 0.30 μg kg -1 BW. d -1 of each non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs, congeners 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180). Four kids, identified as the CONTA group, were slaughtered at the end of the exposure, while the remaining animals (n = 12) were fed with specific diets for an additional 21-day decontamination period before slaughtering. Kids from the DECONTA (n = 4) group were fed a control diet, while those from the AC10% and PO8% group received pellets supplemented with 10% activated carbon (AC) and 8% paraffin oil (PO), respectively. CLD and NDL-PCB levels in blood, liver, peri-renal fat and muscles from different groups were analysed to compare the decontamination dynamics of the pollutants and to determine the efficiency of AC and PO to decrease the body levels of pollutants. After the decontamination period, the CLD levels considerably decreased (more than 60%) in blood, liver, muscles and fat. Concerning NDL-PCBs, the decontamination process was much lower. Overall, CLD appeared to be less retained in kids' organism compared with NDL-PCBs, and the decontamination dynamics of these pollutants appeared to be different because of their specific physicochemical properties and lipophilicity. Furthermore, the dietary supplementation with AC or PO did not significantly affect the decontamination dynamics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental Testing of Liquid and Gaseous/Vaporous Decontamination on Bacterial Spores and Other Biological Warfare Agents on Military Relevant Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-11

process ( gas /vapor or liquid ), sampling will be conducted as soon as possible. Samples will be incubated for 12 to 48 hours (depending on the...Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 08-2-065 Developmental Testing of Liquid and Gaseous...biological decontamination protocol to analyze the efficacy of liquid and gaseous/vaporous decontaminants on military-relevant surfaces. The

EPA Science Matters Newsletter: Advancing Ways to Clean Up Drinking Water Systems (Published November 2013)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To advance the science and engineering of decontaminating pipe systems and safely disposing of high-volumes of contaminated water, Agency homeland security researchers are developing a Water Security Test Bed (WSTB).

Non-communicable diseases in decontamination workers in areas affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster: a retrospective observational study.

PubMed

Sawano, Toyoaki; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Ozaki, Akihiko; Leppold, Claire; Nomura, Shuhei; Shimada, Yuki; Ochi, Sae; Tsukada, Manabu; Nemoto, Tsuyoshi; Kato, Shigeaki; Kanazawa, Yukio; Ohira, Hiromichi

2016-12-14

To assess the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and whether NCDs were treated or not, among hospitalised decontamination workers who moved to radio-contaminated areas after Japan's 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster. We retrospectively extracted records of decontamination workers admitted to Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital between 1 June 2012 and 31 August 2015, from hospital records. We investigated the incidence of underlying NCDs such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes among the decontamination workers, and their treatment status, in addition to the reasons for their hospital admission. A total of 113 decontamination workers were admitted to the hospital (112 male patients, median age of 54 years (age range: 18-69 years)). In terms of the demographics of underlying NCDs in this population, 57 of 72 hypertensive patients (79.2%), 37 of 45 dyslipidaemic patients (82.2%) and 18 of 27 hyperglycaemic patients (66.7%) had not been treated for their NCDs before admission to the hospital. A high burden of underlying NCDs was found in hospitalised decontamination workers in Fukushima. Managing underlying diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes mellitus is essential among this population. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Chemical warfare agent simulants for human volunteer trials of emergency decontamination: A systematic review.

PubMed

James, Thomas; Wyke, Stacey; Marczylo, Tim; Collins, Samuel; Gaulton, Tom; Foxall, Kerry; Amlôt, Richard; Duarte-Davidson, Raquel

2018-01-01

Incidents involving the release of chemical agents can pose significant risks to public health. In such an event, emergency decontamination of affected casualties may need to be undertaken to reduce injury and possible loss of life. To ensure these methods are effective, human volunteer trials (HVTs) of decontamination protocols, using simulant contaminants, have been conducted. Simulants must be used to mimic the physicochemical properties of more harmful chemicals, while remaining non-toxic at the dose applied. This review focuses on studies that employed chemical warfare agent simulants in decontamination contexts, to identify those simulants most suitable for use in HVTs of emergency decontamination. Twenty-two simulants were identified, of which 17 were determined unsuitable for use in HVTs. The remaining simulants (n = 5) were further scrutinized for potential suitability according to toxicity, physicochemical properties and similarities to their equivalent toxic counterparts. Three suitable simulants, for use in HVTs were identified; methyl salicylate (simulant for sulphur mustard), diethyl malonate (simulant for soman) and malathion (simulant for VX or toxic industrial chemicals). All have been safely used in previous HVTs, and have a range of physicochemical properties that would allow useful inference to more toxic chemicals when employed in future studies of emergency decontamination systems. © 2017 Crown Copyright. Journal of Applied Toxicology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cutaneous challenge with chemical warfare agents in the SKH-1 hairless mouse (II): effects of some currently used skin decontaminants (RSDL and Fuller's earth) against liquid sulphur mustard and VX exposure.

PubMed

Taysse, L; Dorandeu, F; Daulon, S; Foquin, A; Perrier, N; Lallement, G; Breton, P

2011-06-01

Using the hairless mouse screening model presented in the companion paper(1) the aim of this study was to assess two skin decontaminating systems: Fuller's earth (FE) and Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) against two extremely toxic chemical warfare agents that represent a special percutaneous hazard, sulphur mustard (SM) and O-ethyl-S-(2[di-isopropylamino]ethyl)methyl-phosphonothioate (VX). Five minutes after being exposed on the back to either 2 µL of neat sulphur mustard or 50 µg.kg(-1) of diluted VX, mice were decontaminated. Both systems were able to reduce blisters 3 days after SM exposure. However, RSDL was found to be more efficient than FE in reducing the necrosis of the epidermis and erosion. In the case of VX exposure, RSDL, whatever the ratio of decontaminant to toxicant used (RSDL 10, 20, 50), was not able to sufficiently prevent the inhibition of plasma cholinesterases taken as a surrogate marker of exposure and toxicity. Only FE reduced significantly the ChE inhibition. Some of these observations are different from our previous results obtained in domestic swine and these changes are thus discussed in the perspective of using SKH-1 hairless mice for the initial in vivo screening of decontaminants.

Nurses' infection-control practice: hand decontamination, the use of gloves and sharp instruments.

PubMed

Gould, D; Wilson-Barnett, J; Ream, E

1996-04-01

Infection is an acknowledged hospital problem. Micro-organisms are disseminated mainly via hands but there is evidence that hand decontamination, the most important means of prevention, is performed too seldom, and not always after activities likely to result in heavy contamination. Nurses themselves are exposed to risks of infection, chiefly through contact with blood and body fluids, yet it has also been reported that gloves are not always worn during contact with patients' secretions and that the handling and disposal of sharp instruments may be performed unsafely. The study reported in this paper documents nursing behaviour in relation to hand decontamination, the use of gloves and sharps, taking into consideration a number of variables which could influence practice: availability of the expertise afforded by an infection-control nurse, clinical setting, nursing workload, knowledge and the resources available to control infection. Hands were decontaminated after 28.78% of patient contacts. Hands were decontaminated after 49.85% of activities likely to result in heavy contamination. Performance was related to nursing workload and the availability of hand decontaminating agents, especially when the nurses became busy. Use of gloves when they were available also proved good, with little evidence of wasteful use. The handling and disposal of sharps were commendable for most subjects but a few grossly unsafe incidents were nevertheless witnessed, apparently not associated with any of the variables examined.

40 CFR 761.398 - Reporting and recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reference whenever the decontamination procedure is used... new solvents and validated decontamination procedures in the Federal Register. (b) Any person may...

40 CFR 761.398 - Reporting and recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reference whenever the decontamination procedure is used... new solvents and validated decontamination procedures in the Federal Register. (b) Any person may...

40 CFR 761.398 - Reporting and recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reference whenever the decontamination procedure is used... new solvents and validated decontamination procedures in the Federal Register. (b) Any person may...

40 CFR 761.398 - Reporting and recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reference whenever the decontamination procedure is used... new solvents and validated decontamination procedures in the Federal Register. (b) Any person may...

40 CFR 761.398 - Reporting and recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... into a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reference whenever the decontamination procedure is used... new solvents and validated decontamination procedures in the Federal Register. (b) Any person may...

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract in gastrointestinal surgery: useful in infection prevention? A systematic review.

PubMed

Abis, Gabor S A; Stockmann, Hein B A C; van Egmond, Marjolein; Bonjer, Hendrik J; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M J E; Oosterling, Steven J

2013-12-01

Gastrointestinal surgery is associated with a high incidence of infectious complications. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract is an antimicrobial prophylaxis regimen that aims to eradicate gastrointestinal carriage of potentially pathogenic microorganisms and represents an adjunct to regular prophylaxis in surgery. Relevant studies were identified using bibliographic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database (period from 1970 to November 1, 2012). Only studies investigating selective decontamination of the digestive tract in gastrointestinal surgery were included. Two randomized clinical trials and one retrospective case-control trial showed significant benefit in terms of infectious complications and anastomotic leakage in colorectal surgery. Two randomized controlled trials in esophageal surgery and two randomized clinical trials in gastric surgery reported lower levels of infectious complications. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract reduces infections following esophageal, gastric, and colorectal surgeries and also appears to have beneficial effects on anastomotic leakage in colorectal surgery. We believe these results provide the basis for a large multicenter prospective study to investigate the role of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in colorectal surgery.

α-Conotoxin Decontamination Protocol Evaluation: What Works and What Doesn’t

PubMed Central

Turner, Matthew W.; Cort, John R.; McDougal, Owen M.

2017-01-01

Nine publically available biosafety protocols for safely handling conotoxin peptides were tested to evaluate their decontamination efficacy. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to assess the effect of each chemical treatment on the secondary and primary structure of α-CTx MII (L10V, E11A). Of the nine decontamination methods tested, treatment with 1% (m/v) solution of the enzymatic detergent Contrex™ EZ resulted in a 76.8% decrease in α-helical content as assessed by the mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm, and partial peptide digestion was demonstrated using high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Additionally, treatment with 6% sodium hypochlorite (m/v) resulted in 80.5% decrease in α-helical content and complete digestion of the peptide. The Contrex™ EZ treatment was repeated with three additional α-conotoxins (α-CTxs), α-CTxs LvIA, ImI and PeIA, which verified the decontamination method was reasonably robust. These results support the use of either 1% Contrex™ EZ solution or 6% sodium hypochlorite in biosafety protocols for the decontamination of α-CTxs in research laboratories. PMID:28906461

Decontamination and decorporation: the clinical experience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poda, G.A.

1979-01-01

Decontamination and decorporation are quite interrelated when dealing with a contaminated person. Some clinical experiences from a transuranium production facility are offered. Skin decontamination is accomplished by washing with detergent and water. Stubborn cases are treated with sodium hypochlorite followed by rinsing, and emery cloth is used on more stubborn nail or finger pad contamination. If inhaled, the usual skin cleansing followed by nasal douche with normal saline decontaminates reachable areas and one of the DTPA salts given via aerosol both decontaminates and decorporates the inner recesses. Saline laxative reduces the time inhaled, and ingested particles remain in the gastro-intestinalmore » tract. Conservatism prevails in general, but most persons found to have inhaled contamination are given a single chelation within the hour of discovery and if subsequently found to have over 10% M.P.P.B. of a soluble actinide are offered further chelation. Single dose chelation has been found to be relatively innocuous and usually sufficient. The longest case of chelation therapy spanned 2-1/4 years and encompassed 123 doses of CaNa-DTPA.« less

Research Update - Intervention Technologies for Enhancing the Safety and Security of Fresh and Minimally Processed Produce and Solid Plant-Derived Foods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The produce safety research objectives of Research Project 1935-41420-011 are to 1) understand pathogen microbial ecology and its effects on decontamination efficacy; 2) develop biological-based intervention strategies for pathogen reduction; and 3) develop new effective chemical and physical decont...

94-1 Research and development project lead laboratory support. Status report, January 1--March 31, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dinehart, M.

1996-09-01

This document reports status and technical progress for Los Alamos National Laboratories 94-1 Research and Development projects. An introduction to the project structure and an executive summary are included. Projects described include Electrolytic Decontamination, Combustibles, Detox, Sand, Slag, and Crucible, Surveillance, and Core Technology.

Bioremediation of Cd-DDT co-contaminated soil using the Cd-hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and DDT-degrading microbes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The development of an integrated strategy for the remediation of soil co-contaminated by heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants is a major research priority for the decontamination of soil slated for use in agricultural production. The objective of this study was to develop a bioremediation ...

Technology Evaluation Report: Non-destructive ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technology Evaluation Report HSRP is working to develop tools and information that will help detect the intentional introduction of chemical or biological contaminants in buildings or water systems, the containment of these contaminants, the decontamination of buildings and/or water systems, and the management of wastes generated from decontamination and cleanup operations. Evaluation of the performance of CBI Polymers’ DeconGelTM 1108, Environmental Alternatives, Inc.’s (EAI’s) Rad-Release II (RRII), Environmental Alternatives, Inc.’s SuperGel, and Intek Technologies’ LH-21. The objective of evaluating these technologies was to test their ability to remove radioactive cesium (Cs)-137 from the mixed building material coupons of brick with mortar, tile with grout, granite with mortar, all mortar and all grout coupons.

Coating stainless steel plates with Ag/TiO2 for chlorpyrifos decontamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel Fattah, Wafa I.; Gobara, Mohammed M.; El-Hotaby, Walid; Mostafa, Sherif F. M.; Ali, Ghareib W.

2016-05-01

Spray coatings of either nanosilver (Ag), titanium (TiO2) or nanosilver titanium (Ag/TiO2) on stainless steel substrates prepared by sol-gel process were successfully achieved. The efficiency of the Ag/TiO2 coat onto 316 stainless steel surface towards cloropyrifos degradation as a chemical warfare agent (CWA) was proved. The crystalline structure and morphological characterization, as well as surface roughness measurements, were assessed. X-ray diffraction results proved the crystalline TiO2 anatase phase. The uniform distribution of Ag along with TiO2 nanoparticles was evidenced through transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy mapping. The hydrophilic nature of individual Ag, TiO2 and Ag/TiO2 coats was proved by contact angle measurements. The loading of Ag nanoparticles influenced positively the Ag/TiO2 coats surface roughness. The photocatalytic cloropyrifos degradation achieved about 50% within one-hour post UV treatment proving, therefore, the promising Ag/TiO2 continued decontamination efficiency. In conclusion, tuning the physical and morphological properties of TiO2 coated on stainless steel surface could be significantly enhanced by Ag nanoparticles incorporation. The developed Ag/TiO2 coat could be conveniently applied as CWA decontaminant.

Effectiveness of Spray-Based Decontamination Methods for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report The objective of this project was to assess the effectiveness of spray-based common decontamination methods for inactivating Bacillus (B.) atrophaeus (surrogate for B. anthracis) spores and bacteriophage MS2 (surrogate for foot and mouth disease virus [FMDV]) on selected test surfaces (with or without a model agricultural soil load). Relocation of viable viruses or spores from the contaminated coupon surfaces into aerosol or liquid fractions during the decontamination methods was investigated. This project was conducted to support jointly held missions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Within the EPA, the project supports the mission of EPA’s Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) by providing relevant information pertinent to the decontamination of contaminated areas resulting from a biological incident.

Organophosphate degrading microorganisms and enzymes as biocatalysts in environmental and personal decontamination applications.

PubMed

Yair, Simo; Ofer, Butnaro; Arik, Eisenkraft; Shai, Shrot; Yossi, Rosman; Tzvika, Dushnitsky; Amir, Krivoy

2008-01-01

One of the major challenges in dealing with chemical warfare agent (CWA) dispersal, whether in the battlefield or after a terror act, is decontamination and rehabilitation of any contaminated area. Organophosphates (OPs) are considered to be among the deadliest CWAs to date. Other OPs are used as pesticides in modern agriculture, and are considered environmentally hazardous. Current methods for OP decontamination are either dangerous or insufficiently effective. As a promising solution for this problem, bioremediation--the use of biocomponents for environmental remediation--is a potentially effective, safe, and environment-friendly method. The technology relies on several enzymatic mechanisms, and can be applied in various ways. We will review recent achievements and potential applications, such as biocatalyst-containing foams and an enzymatic sponge, for environmental as well as personal exterior decontamination.

Electrolytic decontamination of conductive materials for hazardous waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wedman, D.E.; Martinez, H.E.; Nelson, T.O.

1996-12-31

Electrolytic removal of plutonium and americium from stainless steel and uranium surfaces has been demonstrated. Preliminary experiments were performed on the electrochemically based decontamination of type 304L stainless steel in sodium nitrate solutions to better understand the metal removal effects of varying cur-rent density, pH, and nitrate concentration parameters. Material removal rates and changes in surface morphology under these varying conditions are reported. Experimental results indicate that an electropolishing step before contamination removes surface roughness, thereby simplifying later electrolytic decontamination. Sodium nitrate based electrolytic decontamination produced the most uniform stripping of material at low to intermediate pH and at sodiummore » nitrate concentrations of 200 g L{sup -1} and higher. Stirring was also observed to increase the uniformity of the stripping process.« less

77 FR 68125 - Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

..., development and evaluation; and (16) provides health physics expertise for all division public health..., development and evaluation; and (16) provides health physics expertise for all division public health..., development and evaluation; and (16) provides health physics expertise for all division public health...

DECONTAMINATION OF NEUTRON-IRRADIATED REACTOR FUEL

DOEpatents

Buyers, A.G.; Rosen, F.D.; Motta, E.E.

1959-12-22

A pyrometallurgical method of decontaminating neutronirradiated reactor fuel is presented. In accordance with the invention, neutron-irradiated reactor fuel may be decontaminated by countercurrently contacting the fuel with a bed of alkali and alkaine fluorides under an inert gas atmosphere and inductively melting the fuel and tracking the resulting descending molten fuel with induction heating as it passes through the bed. By this method, a large, continually fresh surface of salt is exposed to the descending molten fuel which enhances the efficiency of the scrubbing operation.

Decontamination of metals using chemical etching

DOEpatents

Lerch, Ronald E.; Partridge, Jerry A.

1980-01-01

The invention relates to chemical etching process for reclaiming contaminated equipment wherein a reduction-oxidation system is included in a solution of nitric acid to contact the metal to be decontaminated and effect reduction of the reduction-oxidation system, and includes disposing a pair of electrodes in the reduced solution to permit passage of an electrical current between said electrodes and effect oxidation of the reduction-oxidation system to thereby regenerate the solution and provide decontaminated equipment that is essentially radioactive contamination-free.

Decontamination of Explosives-Contaminated Range Scrap Using a Transportable Hot Gas Decontamination System

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-05-01

I I I I FINAL • Composition B (TNT, RDX and wax), • Tetryl, • Smokeless Powder ( Nitrocellulose /Nitrogylcerin), and • HBX (TNT, RDX, aluminum...operating-cost system. Because of its temporary, on-site configuration, this is an inherently low-cost method to decontaminate range residue. On... methods ) were evaluated and progressively improved during each test run. 022/masterdocument.doc 4-12 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Electron beam irradiation for biological decontamination of Spirulina platensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brasoveanu, Mirela; Nemtanu, Monica; Minea, R.; Grecu, Maria Nicoleta; Mazilu, Elena; Radulescu, Nora

2005-10-01

The Cyanobacterium Spirulina is commercialized for its use in health foods and for therapeutic purposes due to its valuable constituents particularly proteins and vitamins. The aim of the paper is to study the Spirulina platensis behaviour when it is electron beam irradiated for biological decontamination. Microbial load, antioxidant activity, enzymatic inhibition, electron spin resonance (ESR) and UV-Vis spectra were measured for doses up to 80 kGy. The results were correlated with doses in order to find where decontamination is efficient, keeping the Spirulina qualities.

Decontamination, decommissioning, and vendor advertorial issue, 2007

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agnihotri, Newal

The focus of the July-August issue is on Decontamination, decommissioning, and vendor advertorials. Major articles/reports in this issue include: An interesting year ahead of us, by Tom Christopher, AREVA NP Inc.; U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation; Decontamination and recycling of retired components, by Sean P. Brushart, Electric Power Research Institute; and, ANO is 33 and going strong, by Tyler Lamberts, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. The industry innovation article is: Continuous improvement process, by ReNae Kowalewski, Arkansas Nuclear One.

NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECONTAMINATION OF CHLORINATED COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The investigators have developed multifunctional particles that involve important elements of a successful technology to remediate TCE.

The following are key aspects of the technology that distinguish it from other existing technologies:

1. Relat...

2. TOXICITY-BASED CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTION SYSTEMS: CONTINUOUS MONITOR AND EXPOSURE HISTORY

   EPA Science Inventory

   This project will develop and characterize chemical agent detection systems that will provide broad toxicological screening information to first responders and building decontamination personnel. The primary goal for this technology is to detect the presence of airborne chemic...

3. SELECTED WATER DECONTAMINATION RESEARCH PROJECT

   EPA Science Inventory

   The Water Environment Federation (WEF), through funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD), will host the first of three regional water sector stakeholder workshops March 15-17, 2005 at the Phoenix Marriot...

4. 40 CFR 761.378 - Decontamination, reuse, and disposal of solvents, cleaners, and equipment.

   Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

   2010-07-01

   ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Double Wash/Rinse Method for Decontaminating Non...

5. Evaluation of sodium hydroxide-N-acetyl-l-cysteine and 0.7% chlorhexidine decontamination methods for recovering Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum samples: A comparative analysis (The Gambia Experience).

   PubMed

   Gitteh, Ensa; Kweku Otu, Jacob; Jobarteh, Tijan; Mendy, Francis; Faal-Jawara, Isatou Tutty; Ofori-Anyinam, Nana Boatema; Ayorinde, Abigail; Secka, Ousman; Gehre, Florian

   2016-12-01

   To determine the culture yield and time to detection of mycobacterial growth between samples decontaminated using 0.7% chlorhexidine and sodium hydroxide-N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NaOH-NALC) and cultured on the Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. We also aimed to determine the contamination rate between the 0.7% chlorhexidine and NaOH-NALC decontamination methods. The study was carried out on 68 sputa samples (42 smear positives and 26 smear negatives). Of these 68 samples, 46 were collected from men and 26 from women with an approximate average age of 27years. All the sputum samples were decontaminated using the standard NaOH-NALC and 0.7% chlorhexidine methods. The concentrates were cultured in parallel on LJ media in which reading of the slope for mycobacterial growth was obtained daily for the first 2weeks and then weekly until week 8. The mycobacterial recovery rate, time to detection, and contamination rate were then compared. The overall recovery rate of mycobacterial growth on samples treated with both decontamination methods inoculated on LJ media is 51.5% (35/68). Specifically, mycobacterial growth rates on samples treated with 0.7% chlorhexidine and standard NaOH-NALC on LJ media were 61.8% (42/68) and 54.4% (37/68), respectively. However, the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was faster on samples treated with 0.7% chlorhexidine than those treated with NaOH-NALC (average, 32±5days vs. 33±5.2days, respectively). The contamination rate on samples treated with 0.7% chlorhexidine was 1.5% (1/68), whereas on those treated with NaOH-NALC, the rate was 4.4% (3/68). The 0.7% chlorhexidine decontamination method is rapid and has less contamination rate in terms of mycobacterial recovery compared with the standard NaOH-NALC method. Therefore, the 0.7% chlorhexidine decontamination method would be an ideal alternative option for decontamination of sputum samples and recovery/isolation of M. tuberculosis in resource-poor countries. Copyright © 2016.

6. 76 FR 61069 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality...

   Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

   2011-10-03

   ... from organic chemical manufacturing, soil decontamination, and polyester resin operations. We are... Rule 464 (Organic Chemical Manufacturing Operations), VCAPCD Rule 74.29 (Soil Decontamination), and...

7. Waste handling and storage in the decontamination pilot projects of JAEA for environments of Fukushima

   DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

   Nakayama, S.; Kawase, K.; Iijima, K.

   2013-07-01

   After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was chosen by the national government to conduct decontamination pilot projects at selected sites in Fukushima prefecture. Despite tight boundary conditions in terms of timescale and resources, the projects served their primary purpose to develop a knowledge base to support more effective planning and implementation of stepwise regional remediation of the evacuated zone. A range of established, modified and newly developed techniques were tested under realistic field conditions and their performance characteristics were determined. The results of the project can be summarized in terms of site characterization, cleanup andmore » waste management. A range of options were investigated to reduce the volumes of waste produced and to ensure that decontamination water could be cleaned to the extent that it could be discharged to normal drainage. Resultant solid wastes were packaged in standard flexible containers, labelled and stored at the remediation site (temporary storage until central interim storage becomes available). The designs of such temporary storage facilities were tailored to available sites, but all designs included measures to ensure mechanical stability (e.g., filling void spaces between containers with sand, graded cover with soil) and prevent releases to groundwater (impermeable base and cap, gravity flow drainage including radiation monitors and catch tanks). Storage site monitoring was also needed to check that storage structures would not be perturbed by external events that could include typhoons, heavy snowfalls, freeze/thaw cycles and earthquakes. (authors)« less

8. Enhanced toxic cloud knockdown spray system for decontamination applications

   DOEpatents

   Betty, Rita G [Rio Rancho, NM; Tucker, Mark D [Albuquerque, NM; Brockmann, John E [Albuquerque, NM; Lucero, Daniel A [Albuquerque, NM; Levin, Bruce L [Tijeras, NM; Leonard, Jonathan [Albuquerque, NM

   2011-09-06

   Methods and systems for knockdown and neutralization of toxic clouds of aerosolized chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents and toxic industrial chemicals using a non-toxic, non-corrosive aqueous decontamination formulation.

9. Experimental assessment of disinfection procedures for eradication of Aspergillus fumigatus in food.

   PubMed

   Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Noussair, Latifa; Bouakline, Adel; Roux, Nicole; Lacroix, Claire; Derouin, Francis

   2004-10-01

   Aspergillus fumigatus spores in food may represent an infectious risk for neutropenic patients. We examined the efficiency of disinfection procedures applicable to foods for eradication of A fumigatus. Boiling and microwave treatment fully decontaminated an experimental spore suspension and naturally contaminated liquid foods (reconstituted dried food, herbal tea). Full decontamination of experimentally contaminated surfaces was only obtained with 70% ethanol or heating at 220 degrees C for 15 minutes. Pepper was decontaminated when heated for 15 minutes at 220 degrees C but not by microwaving. Fruit skin was partially decontaminated by 70% ethanol. We conclude that A fumigatus spores can be eradicated from food by heating to a temperature of at least 100 degrees C. When foods cannot be exposed to high temperature or microwaving, ethanol only partially reduces the level of surface contamination.

10. Effectiveness of automated ultraviolet-C light for decontamination of textiles inoculated with Enterococcus faecium.

    PubMed

    Smolle, C; Huss, F; Lindblad, M; Reischies, F; Tano, E

    2018-01-01

    Healthcare textiles are increasingly recognized as potential vehicles for transmission of hospital-acquired infections. This study tested the ability of an automated ultraviolet-C (UV-C) room disinfection device (Tru-D Smart UV-C) to decontaminate textiles inoculated with Enterococcus faecium in a clinical setting. Contaminated polycotton (50/50 polyester/cotton) swatches were distributed to predefined locations in a ward room and exposed to UV-C light. UV-C decontamination reduced E. faecium counts by a mean log 10 reduction factor of 1.37 (all P = 0.005, Wilcoxon signed rank test). UV-C decontamination may be a feasible adjunctive measure to conventional laundering to preserve the cleanliness of healthcare textiles in ward rooms. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

11. PYROCHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION METHOD FOR REACTOR FUEL

    DOEpatents

    Buyers, A.G.

    1959-06-30

    A pyro-chemical method is presented for decontaminating neutron irradiated uranium and separating plutonium therefrom by contact in the molten state with a metal chloride salt. Uranium trichloride and uranium tetrachloride either alone or in admixture with alkaline metal and alkaline eanth metal fluorides under specified temperature and specified phase ratio conditions extract substantially all of the uranium from the irradiated uranium fuel together with certain fission products. The phases are then separated leaving purified uranium metal. The uranium and plutonium in the salt phase can be reduced to forin a highly decontaminated uraniumplutonium alloy. The present method possesses advantages for economically decontaminating irradiated nuclear fuel elements since irradiated fuel may be proccessed immediately after withdrawal from the reactor and the uranium need not be dissolved and later reduced to the metallic form. Accordingly, the uranium may be economically refabricated and reinserted into the reactor.

12. APPLICATION OF RADIOISOTOPE-LABELED BACTERIA IN FOOD SANITATION STUDIES. IV. ON THE BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION AND DECONTAMINATION OF LIVING OYSTER (in Japanese)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bito, T.; Takase, A.

    Decontamination of the living oyster was studied by Y/sup 90/or Y/sup 91/ -labeled coliform bacteria. At low temperature, precultural temperature affected the contamination of the oyster but the uptake of bacteria by the oyster was distinctly observed below 5 deg C. In a study on elapsing change of contamination, it was determined that the whole bacterial load of the oyster depended mainly on the gill, but was not negligible on the digestive tract. The contaminating rate of the oyster was successfully measured by automatic recording of the shift of radioactivity in the contaminated cultural water with a dip-type G-M countermore » ratemeter and chart recorder, because the bacterial concentration of the closed cultural water decrease according to the bacterial uptake of the oyster. On decontamination of the oyster, it was observed that the most effective temperature existed in the region of 15 to 25 deg C, and at the upper or lower of this region the decontaminating efficiency decreased. As for the exchange rate of the culture water, the decontaminating effect on the oyster was proportional to an increase of the rate to 7.5 times per hour. However, more was of no effect. An increase in the cultured water volume was harmful for the decontamination of the oyster because of the exchanging efficiency of the water. (P.C.H.)« less

13. Preventive measures and lifestyle habits against exertional heat illness in radiation decontamination workers.

    PubMed

    Endo, Shota; Kakamu, Takeyasu; Sato, Sei; Hidaka, Tomoo; Kumagai, Tomohiro; Nakano, Shinichi; Koyama, Kikuo; Fukushima, Tetsuhito

    2017-09-28

    The aim of this study was to reveal the current state of preventive measures and lifestyle habits against heat illness in radiation decontamination workers and to examine whether young radiation decontamination workers take less preventive measures and have worse lifestyle habits than the elder workers. This was a cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 1,505 radiation decontamination workers in Fukushima, Japan. Five hundred fifty-eight men who replied and answered all questions were included in the statistical analysis. The questionnaire included age, duration of decontamination work, previous occupation, lifestyle habit, and preventive measures for heat illness. We classified age of the respondents into five groups: <30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 years and defined the workers under 30 years of age as young workers. Logistic regression analysis was used to reveal the factors associated with each lifestyle habit and preventive measures. In comparison with young workers, 50-59-year-old workers were significantly associated with refraining from drinking alcohol. Workers 40 years of age or older were significantly associated with cooling their bodies with refrigerant. Furthermore, 30-39-year-old workers and 40-49-year-old workers were significantly associated with adequate consumption of water compared to young workers. The results of our study suggests that young decontamination workers are more likely to have worse lifestyle habits and take insufficient preventive measures for heat illness. This may be the cause of higher incidence of heat illness among young workers.

14. An electrochemical and high-speed imaging study of micropore decontamination by acoustic bubble entrapment.

    PubMed

    Offin, Douglas G; Birkin, Peter R; Leighton, Timothy G

    2014-03-14

    Electrochemical and high-speed imaging techniques are used to study the abilities of ultrasonically-activated bubbles to clean out micropores. Cylindrical pores with dimensions (diameter × depth) of 500 μm × 400 μm (aspect ratio 0.8), 125 μm × 350 μm (aspect ratio 2.8) and 50 μm × 200 μm (aspect ratio 4.0) are fabricated in glass substrates. Each pore is contaminated by filling it with an electrochemically inactive blocking organic material (thickened methyl salicylate) before the substrate is placed in a solution containing an electroactive species (Fe(CN)6(3-)). An electrode is fabricated at the base of each pore and the Faradaic current is used to monitor the decontamination as a function of time. For the largest pore, decontamination driven by ultrasound (generated by a horn type transducer) and bulk fluid flow are compared. It is shown that ultrasound is much more effective than flow alone, and that bulk fluid flow at the rates used cannot decontaminate the pore completely, but that ultrasound can. In the case of the 125 μm pore, high-speed imaging is used to elucidate the cleaning mechanisms involved in ultrasonic decontamination and reveals that acoustic bubble entrapment is a key feature. The smallest pore is used to explore the limits of decontamination and it is found that ultrasound is still effective at this size under the conditions employed.

15. Nanoindentation of orthodontic archwires: The effect of decontamination and clinical use on hardness, elastic modulus and surface roughness.

    PubMed

    Alcock, Joseph P; Barbour, Michele E; Sandy, Jonathan R; Ireland, Anthony J

    2009-08-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of decontamination and clinical exposure on the elastic moduli, hardness and surface roughness of two frequently used orthodontic archwires, namely 0.020in.x0.020in. heat activated (martensitic active) nickel titanium archwires and 0.019in.x0.025in. austenitic stainless steel archwires. This study was a prospective clinical trial in which 20 consecutive patients requiring an archwire change as part of their course of orthodontic fixed appliance therapy, had either a nickel titanium or stainless steel archwire fitted as deemed clinically necessary. The effect of clinical use was determined by comparing distal end cuts of the "as received" archwires before and after decontamination, with the same retrieved archwires following clinical use and decontamination. Hardness, elastic modulus and surface roughness were determined using an atomic force microscope (AFM) coupled with a nanoindenter. The results showed that the decontamination regimen and clinical use had no statistically significant effect on the nickel titanium archwires, but did have a statistically significant effect on the steel archwires. Decontamination of the steel wires significantly increased the observed surface hardness (p=0.01) and reduced the surface roughness (p=0.02). Clinical use demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the observed elastic modulus (p<0.001) and a decrease in surface roughness (p=0.001). At present it is difficult to predict the clinical significance of these statistically significant changes in archwire properties on orthodontic tooth movement.

16. Establishment of the central radiation dose registration system for decontamination work involving radioactive fallout emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi APP accident.

    PubMed

    Yasui, Shojiro

    2016-10-01

    With respect to radiation protection for decontamination efforts involving radioactive fallout emitted by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Atomic Power Plant, new regulations were established and obligated employers to monitor, record, and store of workers' dose records, and to check their past dose records at the time of employment. However, cumulative doses may not be properly maintained if a worker declares incorrect values for past doses. In response, with facilitation from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, primary contractors of decontamination works decided to establish a central dose registration system. There are four major issues in the design of the system to be resolved, included the following: primary contractors (a) do not have a legal responsibility to perform dose control for subcontractors, (b) do not have the right to control decontamination sites, (c) often organize joint ventures, and (d) correspond to a wide range of ambient dose rates. To resolve the issues, requirements of the system included the following: (a) centralize the operation of radiation passbooks, which records past doses and the results of medical examinations to each worker; (b) develop a database system that could register all dose data and accept inquiry from primary contractors; (c) establish a permanent data storage system for transferred records; and (d) provide graded type of services that are appropriate to the risk of radiation exposure. The system started its operation in December 2013 and provided dose distributions in April and July 2015. The average yearly dose in 2014 was 0.7 mSv, which increased by 0.2 mSv from 0.5 mSv in 2012 and 2013. However, no cumulative dose from 2012-2014 exceeded 20 mSv, which was far below than the dose limits (100 mSv/5 years and 50 mSv/year). Although current dose distributions of decontamination workers were within appropriate levels, careful monitoring of dose distribution is necessary for preserving the proper implementation of radiation protection prescribed in the regulations.

17. Detoxifying Industrial Wastewaters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Environmental Science and Technology, 1976

    1976-01-01

    Regional and supraregional treatment centers have been developed in Switzerland to cope with the problem of systematic toxic waste disposal. The process employed at the Fairtec Turgi plant is described beginning with delivery and storage and proceeding through treatment, reprecipitation, decontaminating cyanide, filtering sludge and ion-exchanger…

Report on the 2013 US Environmental Protection Agency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This report summarizes presentations and discussions from the “2013 U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) International Decontamination Research and Development Conference,” held November 5–7, 2013 at the U.S. EPA facilities in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

α-Conotoxin Decontamination Protocol Evaluation: What Works and What Doesn’t

DOE PAGES

Turner, Matthew; Cort, John; McDougal, Owen

2017-09-14

Nine publically available biosafety protocols for safely handling conotoxin peptides were tested to evaluate their decontamination efficacy. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to assess the effect of each chemical treatment on the secondary and primary structure of α-CTx MII [L10V, E11A]. Of the nine decontamination methods tested, treatment with 1% (m/v) solution of the enzymatic detergent Contrex™ EZ resulted in a 76.8% decrease in α-helical content as assessed by the mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm, and partial peptide digestion was demonstrated using high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Additionally, treatment with 6% sodiummore » hypochlorite (m/v) resulted in 80.5% decrease in α-helical content and complete digestion of the peptide. The Contrex™ EZ treatment was repeated with three additional α-conotoxins (α-CTxs), α-CTxs LvIA, ImI and PeIA, which verified the decontamination method was reasonably robust. These results support the use of either 1% Contrex™ EZ solution or 6% sodium hypochlorite in biosafety protocols for the decontamination of α- CTxs in research laboratories.« less

α-Conotoxin Decontamination Protocol Evaluation: What Works and What Doesn’t

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turner, Matthew; Cort, John; McDougal, Owen

Nine publically available biosafety protocols for safely handling conotoxin peptides were tested to evaluate their decontamination efficacy. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to assess the effect of each chemical treatment on the secondary and primary structure of α-CTx MII [L10V, E11A]. Of the nine decontamination methods tested, treatment with 1% (m/v) solution of the enzymatic detergent Contrex™ EZ resulted in a 76.8% decrease in α-helical content as assessed by the mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm, and partial peptide digestion was demonstrated using high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Additionally, treatment with 6% sodiummore » hypochlorite (m/v) resulted in 80.5% decrease in α-helical content and complete digestion of the peptide. The Contrex™ EZ treatment was repeated with three additional α-conotoxins (α-CTxs), α-CTxs LvIA, ImI and PeIA, which verified the decontamination method was reasonably robust. These results support the use of either 1% Contrex™ EZ solution or 6% sodium hypochlorite in biosafety protocols for the decontamination of α- CTxs in research laboratories.« less

Food decontamination using nanomaterials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The research indicates that nanomaterials including nanoemulsions are promising decontamination media for the reduction of food contaminating pathogens. The inhibitory effect of nanoparticles for pathogens could be due to deactivate cellular enzymes and DNA; disrupting of membrane permeability; and/...

Decontamination Supplies Under the Worker Protection Standard

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Employers at agricultural establishments must make sure that decontamination supplies for washing off pesticides and pesticide residues are available to workers and handlers. Learn about specific requirements for the type and location of these supplies.

Emerging Technologies and Techniques for Wide Area Radiological Survey and Remediation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, M.; Zhao, P.

2016-03-24

Technologies to survey and decontaminate wide-area contamination and process the subsequent radioactive waste have been developed and implemented following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant release and the breach of a radiological source resulting in contamination in Goiania, Brazil. These civilian examples of radioactive material releases provided some of the first examples of urban radiological remediation. Many emerging technologies have recently been developed and demonstrated in Japan following the release of radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. Information on technologies reported by several Japanese government agencies, such as the Japan Atomic Energymore » Agency (JAEA), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the National Institute for Environmental Science (NIES), together with academic institutions and industry are summarized and compared to recently developed, deployed and available technologies in the United States. The technologies and techniques presented in this report may be deployed in response to a wide area contamination event in the United States. In some cases, additional research and testing is needed to adequately validate the technology effectiveness over wide areas. Survey techniques can be deployed on the ground or from the air, allowing a range of coverage rates and sensitivities. Survey technologies also include those useful in measuring decontamination progress and mapping contamination. Decontamination technologies and techniques range from non-destructive (e.g., high pressure washing) and minimally destructive (plowing), to fully destructive (surface removal or demolition). Waste minimization techniques can greatly impact the long-term environmental consequences and cost following remediation efforts. Recommendations on technical improvements to address technology gaps are presented together with observations on remediation in Japan.« less

Formulation of a Broad-Spectrum, All-Weather, Solid-Based, Peracetate - Solvent Dry Decontaminant Concentrate

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

PAB 17 2.5.2 PAB/SPC Mixtures 17 2.5.3 PAB/SPC Mixtures with Ethylene Carbonate 19 2.5.4 Peroxydone/PAB Mixtures 19 2.5.4.1 Chem Agent Testing 19...Effect of Surfactant and Ethylene Carbonate (EC) Penetrant on Decontamination of HD on CARC Painted Panels 20 5. Effect of Surfactant, Alone, on...previous peroxide-based decontaminants7൓ (i.e., Triton® X-100 (non-ionic surfactant) and propylene carbonate [PC]) could not be used. However, there

Tooele Army Depot - South Area Suspected Release Units. RCRA Facility Investigation - Phase 2, for SWMUs 1, 25, and 27

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-11-01

Thickener (25% naphthenic acids) (25% oleic acid) Source: NUS 1987, Departments of the Army and Air Force 1963 2-8 TOO/TBL0025 07/21/94 11:45 am bpw S-60...Assessment does not state whether incineration occurred at SWMU 1 or elsewhere. The AC containers were decontaminated at SWMU 1 by rinsing with caustic ... caustic decontaminating agents that may have been applied during disposal. Decontaminating agents used include DANC (a mixture of sodium hydroxide and

Efficacy of mineral cationic carrier against sulphur mustard in skin decontamination.

PubMed

Vucemilović, Ante; Hadzija, Mirko; Jukić, Ivan

2008-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate decontamination (absorption) efficacy of a preparation called Mineral Cationic Carrier (MCC) against skin contamination with sulphur mustard in vivo. MCC is a synthetic preparation with known ion exchange, absorption efficiency, and bioactive potential. CBA mice were applied increasing doses of sulphur mustard on their skin and MCC was administered immediately after skin contamination. The results have confirmed the decontamination efficacy of MCC preparation, corresponding to 8.4 times the LD50 of percutaneous sulphur mustard, and call for further investigation.

Microwave sterilization of plastic tissue culture vessels for reuse.

PubMed

Sanborn, M R; Wan, S K; Bulard, R

1982-10-01

A simple protocol has been developed for recycling plastic tissue culture vessels. The killing properties of microwaves were used to decontaminate plastic tissue culture vessels for reuse. Nine bacterial cultures, four gram-negative and five gram-positive genera, including two Bacillus species, were used to artificially contaminate tissue culture vessels. The microwaves produced by a "home-type" microwave oven (2.45 gHz) were able to decontaminate the vessels with a 3-min exposure. The same exposure time was also used to completely inactivate the following three test viruses: polio type 1, parainfluenza type 1 (Sendai), and bacteriophage T4. The recycling procedure did not reduce the attachment and proliferation of the following cell types: primary chicken and turkey embryo, HEp-2, Vero, BGMK, and MK-2.

Water-based solutions are the best decontaminating fluids for dermal corrosive exposures: a mini review.

PubMed

Brent, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

The intention is to assess whether the fundamental principle ("the solution to pollution is dilution") should be the guide for the initial medical management of corrosive dermal exposures. The US National Library of Medicine Pubmed database was searched utilizing all combinations of the search terms "decontamination", "corrosive", and "dermal". A separate search was done specifically related to hydrofluoric acid. These searches found 69 relevant papers. Only four controlled clinical studies comparing early and intensive water decontamination with no or less dilution treatment have been published on human corrosive dermal exposures. Although the authors' conclusion in the first study of 273 patients was that those that had more intensive water irrigation tended to have less time to skin grafting and shorter periods of hospitalization, the results were not statistically significant. In the second study of 51 patients, those who had "adequate" decontamination (immediate dilution or neutralization therapy) had shortened length of stay (7.2 vs. 16.2 days), lower mortality (9.5% vs. 21%), and fewer skin grafts (19% vs. 36%) despite having slightly greater burn surface area (19.7% vs. 17.2%). However, no statistical analysis was provided. The third and fourth studies were conducted in the same center. In the third study of 35 patients, those who had "immediate" water lavage (done within 10 min of exposure and continued for at least 15 min) had significantly fewer burns that progressed to full thickness (12.5% vs. 63%; p < 0.01) and significantly shorter mean hospital stays (7.7 days vs. 20.5 days; p < 0.01) than those who did not, despite the mean total burn surface area being twice as large in the adequate water decontamination group (12% vs. 6%; p < 0.05). In the fourth study of 83 patients (35 of whom had been reported in the previous study), those who had copious water lavage within 3 min of injury were less likely to progress to full thickness burns (13.5% vs. 60.8%; p < 0.01), had fewer delayed complications (5.4% vs. 30.4%; p < 0.01) and shorter lengths of stay (6.2 vs. 22 days; p < 0.01), compared with those who did not. In a further study, water was compared to the proprietary agent Diphoterine(®) in a controlled prospective cohort study of 180 dermal alkali exposures. The Diphoterine(®) first group was decontaminated significantly faster than the water first group (median times to irrigation 1 vs. 5 min; p < 0.001). No analysis adjusted for time to decontamination was provided, so the study demonstrated that only those individuals who decontaminated early did better than those who decontaminated later. The data support water as the best decontaminating solution. It has been shown to be efficacious in clinical trials, is widely available, and inexpensive.

Divisions of general practice in Australia: how do they measure up in the international context?

PubMed Central

Smith, Judith; Sibthorpe, Beverly

2007-01-01

Background Since the late 1980s, there has been evidence of an international trend towards more organised primary care. This has taken a number of forms including the emergence of primary care organisations. Underpinning such developments is an inherent belief in evidence that suggests that well-developed primary care is associated with improved health outcomes and greater cost-effectiveness within health systems. In Australia, primary care organisations have emerged as divisions of general practice. These are professionally-led, regionally-based, and largely government-funded voluntary associations of general practitioners that seek to co-ordinate local primary care services, and improve the quality of care and health outcomes for local communities. Discussion In this paper, we examine and debate the development of divisions in the international context, using six roles of primary care organisations outlined in published research. The six roles that are used as the basis for the critique are the ability of primary care organisations to: improve health outcomes; manage demand and control costs; engage primary care physicians; enable greater integration of health services; develop more accessible services in community and primary care settings; and enable greater scrutiny and assurance of quality of primary care services. Summary We conclude that there has been an evolutionary approach to divisions' development and they now appear embedded as geographically-based planning and development organisations within the Australian primary health care system. The Australian Government has to date been cautious in its approach to intervention in divisions' direction and performance. However, options for the next phase include: making greater use of contracts between government and divisions; introducing and extending proposed national quality targets for divisions, linked with financial or other incentives for performance; government sub-contracting with state-based organisations to act as purchasers of care; pursuing a fund-holding approach within divisions; and developing divisions as a form of health maintenance organisation. The challenge for the Australian Government, should it wish to see divisions' role expand, is to find mechanisms to enable this without compromising the relatively strong GP engagement that increasingly distinguishes divisions of general practice within the international experience of primary care organisations. PMID:17626642

In vivo decontamination of the nerve agent VX using the domestic swine model.

PubMed

Misik, Jan; Pavlik, Michal; Novotny, Ladislav; Pavlikova, Ruzena; Chilcott, Robert P; Cabal, Jiri; Kuca, Kamil

2012-11-01

The purpose of this in vivo study was to assess a new, putatively optimised method for mass casualty decontamination ("ORCHIDS protocol") for effectiveness in removing the chemical warfare agent VX from the skin of anaesthetised, domestic white pigs. ORCHIDS protocol consists of a 1.5-minute shower with a mild detergent (Argos™) supplemented by physical removal. A standard method of wet decontamination was used for comparison. Experimental animals were divided into four groups (A-D). Two groups were exposed to a supra-lethal percutaneous dose (5 × LD(50); 300 μg kg(-1)) of VX for 1 h prior to decontamination with either the ORCHIDS (C) or standard protocol (D). A third (B, positive control) group was exposed but not subject to decontamination. Blank controls (A) received anaesthesia and the corresponding dose of normal saline instead of VX. Observations of the clinical signs of intoxication were supplemented by measurements of whole blood cholinesterase (ChE) performed on samples of arterial blood acquired at 30-minute intervals for the duration of the study (up to 6 h). Untreated (B) animals displayed typical cholinergic signs consistent with VX intoxication (local fasciculation, mastication, salivation, pilo-erection and motor convulsions) and died 165-240 min post exposure. All animals in both decontamination treatment groups (C, D) survived the duration of the study and exhibited less severe signs of cholinergic poisoning. Thus, both the standard and ORCHIDS protocol were demonstrably effective against exposure to the potent nerve agent VX, even after a delay of 1 h. A critical advantage of the ORCHIDS protocol is the relatively short shower duration (1½ min compared to 3 min). In practice, this could substantially improve the rate at which individuals could be decontaminated by emergency responders following exposure to toxic materials such as chemical warfare agents.

Effectiveness and reaction networks of H2O2 vapor with NH3 gas for decontamination of the toxic warfare nerve agent, VX on a solid surface.

PubMed

Gon Ryu, Sam; Wan Lee, Hae

2015-01-01

The nerve agent, O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (VX) must be promptly eliminated following its release into the environment because it is extremely toxic, can cause death within a few minutes after exposure, acts through direct skin contact as well as inhalation, and persists in the environment for several weeks after release. A mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas was examined as a decontaminant for the removal of VX on solid surfaces at ambient temperature, and the reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR). All the VX on glass wool filter disks was found to be eliminated after 2 h of exposure to the decontaminant mixtures, and the primary decomposition product was determined to be non-toxic ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA); no toxic S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioic acid (EA-2192), which is usually produced in traditional basic hydrolysis systems, was found to be formed. However, other by-products, such as toxic O-ethyl S-vinyl methylphosphonothioate and (2-diisopropylaminoethyl) vinyl disulfide, were detected up to 150 min of exposure to the decontaminant mixture; these by-products disappeared after 3 h. The two detected vinyl byproducts were identified first in this study with the decontamination system of liquid VX on solid surfaces using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas. The detailed decontamination reaction networks of VX on solid surfaces produced by the mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas were suggested based on the reaction products. These findings suggest that the mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas investigated in this study is an efficient decontaminant mixture for the removal of VX on solid surfaces at ambient temperature despite the formation of a toxic by-product in the reaction process.

BASL and EPF2 act independently to regulate asymmetric divisions during stomatal development

PubMed Central

Hunt, Lee

2010-01-01

The initiation of stomatal development in the developing Arabidopsis epidermis is characterized by an asymmetric ‘entry’ division in which a small cell, known as a meristemoid, and a larger daughter cell is formed. The meristemoid may undergo further asymmetric divisions, regenerating a meristemoid each time, before differentiating into a guard mother cell which divides symmetrically to form a pair of guard cells surrounding a stomatal pore. Recently EPF2 and BASL have emerged as regulators of these asymmetric divisions and here we present results indicating that these two factors operate independently to control stomatal development PMID:20220310

10 CFR 765.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... enactment of UMTRCA to perform decontamination, decommissioning, reclamation, and other remedial action... contaminated soil, disposal of process wastes, removal actions, air pollution abatement measures, mill and... subpart C of this part. Decontamination, decommissioning, reclamation, and other remedial action means...

Novel Fabric Containing Microcapsules of Chemical Decontaminants Encapsulated within Semipermeable Polymers.

DTIC Science & Technology

The invention concerns novel clothing fabrics containing microcapsules in a resin finish comprising reactive chemical decontamination agents...allowing the toxic chemicals to diffuse into the microcapsules where they undergo irreversible detoxifying chemical reactions.

Bacteriological aspects of selective decontamination of the digestive tract as a method of infection prevention in granulocytopenic patients.

PubMed Central

de Vries-Hospers, H G; Sleijfer, D T; Mulder, N H; van der Waaij, D; Neiweg, H O; van Saene, H K

1981-01-01

We describe the bacteriological results of a controlled clinical trial of selective decontamination of the digestive tract as a method of infection prevention in granulocytopenic patients. Selective elimination of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae species was accomplished by the oral administration of nalidixic acid, co-trimoxazole, or polymyxin. Yeasts were eliminated selectively by amphotericin B or nystatin treatment. The drugs used in this study were chosen because of their capacities to selectively eliminate gram-negative rods and yeast without affecting the anaerobic part of the gut flora which is responsible for colonization resistance. Compared with the control group, the selectively decontaminated patients had significantly fewer (P less than 0.0005) gram-negative rods or yeasts or both in their throat swab cultures and in their feces. This reduction may explain the clinical effectiveness of selective decontamination. PMID:7027923

Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones.

PubMed

Athiban, Prakash P; Borthakur, Bikash Jyoti; Ganesan, S; Swathika, B

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and to determine its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones. A concentrated extract of Aloe vera was used to check for the antimicrobial efficacy using the agar well diffusion method. Presence of zones' of diffusion was identified against three common GP contaminants namely, E.coli, E.faecalis and Staph. aureus. New GP Cones, freshly taken out of the packet were then decontaminated for 1minute using Aloe vera gel and then placed in thioglycolate broth to check for the presence of turbidity. The zones of inhibition on the agar plate were measured as 24mm,21mm and 24mm respectively. The broth remained clear even after 48 hours of incubation. We conclude that Aloe vera is indeed effective as a GP decontaminant and it holds a promising future as a medium for storage of GP cones.

Full Scale Drinking Water System Decontamination at the Water Security Test Bed.

PubMed

Szabo, Jeffrey; Hall, John; Reese, Steve; Goodrich, Jim; Panguluri, Sri; Meiners, Greg; Ernst, Hiba

2018-03-20

The EPA's Water Security Test Bed (WSTB) facility is a full-scale representation of a drinking water distribution system. In collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), EPA designed the WSTB facility to support full-scale evaluations of water infrastructure decontamination, real-time sensors, mobile water treatment systems, and decontamination of premise plumbing and appliances. The EPA research focused on decontamination of 1) Bacillus globigii (BG) spores, a non-pathogenic surrogate for Bacillus anthracis and 2) Bakken crude oil. Flushing and chlorination effectively removed most BG spores from the bulk water but BG spores still remained on the pipe wall coupons. Soluble oil components of Bakken crude oil were removed by flushing although oil components persisted in the dishwasher and refrigerator water dispenser. Using this full-scale distribution system allows EPA to 1) test contaminants without any human health or ecological risk and 2) inform water systems on effective methodologies responding to possible contamination incidents.

DECONTAMINATION AND BENEFICIAL USE OF DREDGED MATERIALS.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

STERN, E.A.; LODGE, J.; JONES, K.W.

2000-12-03

Our group is leading a large-sale demonstration of dredged material decontamination technologies for the New York/New Jersey Harbor. The goal of the project is to assemble a complete system for economic transformation of contaminated dredged material into an environmentally-benign material used in the manufacture of a variety of beneficial use products. This requires the integration of scientific, engineering, business, and policy issues on matters that include basic knowledge of sediment properties, contaminant distribution visualization, sediment toxicity, dredging and dewatering techniques, decontamination technologies, and product manufacturing technologies and marketing. A summary of the present status of the system demonstrations including themore » use of both existing and new manufacturing facilities is given here. These decontamination systems should serve as a model for use in dredged material management plans of regions other than NY/NJ Harbor, such as Long Island Sound, where new approaches to the handling of contaminated sediments are desirable.« less

Evaluation of standardized sample collection, packaging, and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal Sample collection procedures and primary receptacle (sample container and bag) decontamination methods should prevent contaminant transfer between contaminated and non-contaminated surfaces and areas during bio-incident operations. Cross-contamination of personnel, equipment, or sample containers may result in the exfiltration of biological agent from the exclusion (hot) zone and have unintended negative consequences on response resources, activities and outcomes. The current study was designed to: (1) evaluate currently recommended sample collection and packaging procedures to identify procedural steps that may increase the likelihood of spore exfiltration or contaminant transfer; (2) evaluate the efficacy of currently recommended primary receptacle decontamination procedures; and (3) evaluate the efficacy of outer packaging decontamination methods. Wet- and dry-deposited fluorescent tracer powder was used in contaminant transfer tests to qualitatively evaluate the currently-recommended sample collection procedures. Bacillus atrophaeus spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, were used to evaluate the efficacy of spray- and wipe-based decontamination procedures.

Decontamination of chemical agents from drinking water infrastructure: a literature review and summary.

PubMed

Szabo, Jeff; Minamyer, Scott

2014-11-01

This report summarizes the current state of knowledge on the persistence of chemical contamination on drinking water infrastructure (such as pipes) along with information on decontamination should persistence occur. Decontamination options for drinking water infrastructure have been explored for some chemical contaminants, but important data gaps remain. In general, data on chemical persistence on drinking water infrastructure is available for inorganics such as arsenic and mercury, as well as select organics such as petroleum products, pesticides and rodenticides. Data specific to chemical warfare agents and pharmaceuticals was not found and data on toxins is scant. Future research suggestions focus on expanding the available chemical persistence data to other common drinking water infrastructure materials. Decontaminating agents that successfully removed persistent contamination from one infrastructure material should be used in further studies. Methods for sampling or extracting chemical agents from water infrastructure surfaces are needed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparative study on decontamination treatment of paper-based materials in corona discharge and HF cold plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioanid, E. G.; Dunca, S.; Rusu, D.; Tǎnase, C.

2012-04-01

Documents decontamination using dry methods, less invasive than the wet ones implying toxic nocuous substances for cellulose-based materials, has been the object of numerous studies. In recent years mixed researchers teams have been studying the possibility of one-step document decontamination performed by a dry treatment, the risks of repeated wet manipulation thus being reduced. Among physical methods appropriate to this end, high-frequency cold plasma and corona effect can be mentioned. Our studies were carried out on samples taken from ancient books with no cultural heritage value. The decontamination efficiency and the impact on paper of the two types of treatments were determined by: microbiological analysis, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, chromatic alterations and gloss determination. The above-mentioned procedures eliminate the use of chemical conservation substances, nocuous for the paper support. At the same time the health risk for conservators, restorers, archivists or archive's users is removed.

Preparation, characterization and dissolution of passive oxide film on the 400 series stainless steel surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathyaseelan, V. S.; Rufus, A. L.; Chandramohan, P.; Subramanian, H.; Velmurugan, S.

2015-12-01

Full system decontamination of Primary Heat Transport (PHT) system of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) resulted in low decontamination factors (DF) on stainless steel (SS) surfaces. Hence, studies were carried out with 403 SS and 410 SS that are the material of construction of "End-Fitting body" and "End-Fitting Liner tubes". Three formulations were evaluated for the dissolution of passive films formed over these alloys viz., i) Two-step process consisting of oxidation and reduction reactions, ii) Dilute Chemical Decontamination (DCD) and iii) High Temperature Process. The two-step and high temperature processes could dissolve the oxide completely while the DCD process could remove only 60%. Various techniques like XRD, Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDX were used for assessing the dissolution process. The two-step process is time consuming, laborious while the high temperature process is less time consuming and is recommended for SS decontamination.

Timing of Tissue-specific Cell Division Requires a Differential Onset of Zygotic Transcription during Metazoan Embryogenesis*

PubMed Central

Wong, Ming-Kin; Guan, Daogang; Ng, Kaoru Hon Chun; Ho, Vincy Wing Sze; An, Xiaomeng; Li, Runsheng; Ren, Xiaoliang

2016-01-01

Metazoan development demands not only precise cell fate differentiation but also accurate timing of cell division to ensure proper development. How cell divisions are temporally coordinated during development is poorly understood. Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis provides an excellent opportunity to study this coordination due to its invariant development and widespread division asynchronies. One of the most pronounced asynchronies is a significant delay of cell division in two endoderm progenitor cells, Ea and Ep, hereafter referred to as E2, relative to its cousins that mainly develop into mesoderm organs and tissues. To unravel the genetic control over the endoderm-specific E2 division timing, a total of 822 essential and conserved genes were knocked down using RNAi followed by quantification of cell cycle lengths using in toto imaging of C. elegans embryogenesis and automated lineage. Intriguingly, knockdown of numerous genes encoding the components of general transcription pathway or its regulatory factors leads to a significant reduction in the E2 cell cycle length but an increase in cell cycle length of the remaining cells, indicating a differential requirement of transcription for division timing between the two. Analysis of lineage-specific RNA-seq data demonstrates an earlier onset of transcription in endoderm than in other germ layers, the timing of which coincides with the birth of E2, supporting the notion that the endoderm-specific delay in E2 division timing demands robust zygotic transcription. The reduction in E2 cell cycle length is frequently associated with cell migration defect and gastrulation failure. The results suggest that a tissue-specific transcriptional activation is required to coordinate fate differentiation, division timing, and cell migration to ensure proper development. PMID:27056332

Implant decontamination during surgical peri-implantitis treatment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

de Waal, Yvonne C M; Raghoebar, Gerry M; Huddleston Slater, James J R; Meijer, Henny J A; Winkel, Edwin G; van Winkelhoff, Arie Jan

2013-02-01

The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to study the effect of implant surface decontamination with chlorhexidine (CHX)/cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) on microbiological and clinical parameters. Thirty patients (79 implants) with peri-implantitis were treated with resective surgical treatment consisting of apically re-positioned flap, bone re-contouring and surface debridement and decontamination. Patients were randomly allocated to decontamination with 0.12% CHX + 0.05% CPC (test-group) or a placebo-solution (without CHX/CPC, placebo-group). Microbiological parameters were recorded during surgery; clinical and radiographical parameters were recorded before (pre-) treatment (baseline), and at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Nine implants in two patients in the placebo-group were lost due to severe persisting peri-implantitis. Both decontamination procedures resulted in significant reductions of bacterial load on the implant surface, but the test-group showed a significantly greater reduction than the placebo-group (log 4.21 ± 1.89 versus log 2.77 ± 2.12, p = 0.006). Multilevel analysis showed no differences between both groups in the effect of the intervention on bleeding, suppuration, probing pocket depth and radiographical bone loss over time. Implant surface decontamination with 0.12% CHX + 0.05% CPC in resective surgical treatment of peri-implantitis leads to a greater immediate suppression of anaerobic bacteria on the implant surface than a placebo-solution, but does not lead to superior clinical results. The long-term microbiological effect remains unknown. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Biofilm on the tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis: considerations for oral decontamination.

PubMed

Somogyi-Ganss, Eszter; Chambers, Mark S; Lewin, Jan S; Tarrand, Jeffrey J; Hutcheson, Katherine A

2017-01-01

The tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) restores verbal communication after total laryngectomy using a one-way valved voice prosthesis (VP). Microbial colonization can shorten VP device life. Our aims were to investigate patterns of prosthetic and oral colonization, and record changes in VP device life after targeted decontamination. We conducted a retrospective review of TEP clinic patients who underwent microbial analysis of the VP between 01/2003 and 07/2013. Two subgroups were analyzed: (1) patients with microbial analysis of the VP and the mouth were analyzed to identify patterns of common contamination, and (2) patients who were prescribed targeted oral decontamination on the basis of the microbial analysis of the VP were analyzed to evaluate effects on device life. Among 42 patients, 3 patients had only fungal, 5 only bacterial, and 33 had polyspecies fungal and bacterial colonization. In the TEP-oral microflora subgroup (n = 15), 7 had common microorganisms in the mouth and on the VP. Among the decontamination subgroup (n = 23), 6 patients received broad spectrum rinse, 16 antifungal agents and 13 antibiotics, or a combination thereof. After targeted decontamination, the median device life of prostheses improved from 7.89 to 10.82 weeks (p = 0.260). The majority of patients with a suboptimal VP device life in this pilot had polyspecies bacterial and fungal colonization. VPs rarely had fungal contamination alone (3 %), and non-albicans fungal species were more common than expected. For these reasons, we are exploring the use of targeted decontamination regimens that were associated with 1.4-fold improvement in VP duration.

Pathogen Decontamination of Food Crop Soil: A Review.

PubMed

Gurtler, Joshua B

2017-09-01

The purpose of this review is to delineate means of decontaminating soil. This information might be used to mitigate soil-associated risks of foodborne pathogens. The majority of the research in the published literature involves inactivation of plant pathogens in soil, i.e., those pathogens harmful to fruit and vegetable production and ornamental plants. Very little has been published regarding the inactivation of foodborne human pathogens in crop soil. Nevertheless, because decontamination techniques for plant pathogens might also be useful methods for eliminating foodborne pathogens, this review also includes inactivation of plant pathogens, with appropriate discussion and comparisons, in the hopes that these methods may one day be validated against foodborne pathogens. Some of the major soil decontamination methods that have been investigated and are covered include chemical decontamination (chemigation), solarization, steaming, biofumigation, bacterial competitive exclusion, torch flaming, microwave treatment, and amendment with biochar. Other innovative means of inactivating foodborne pathogens in soils may be discovered and explored in the future, provided that these techniques are economically feasible in terms of chemicals, equipment, and labor. Food microbiology and food safety researchers should reach out to soil scientists and plant pathologists to create links where they do not currently exist and strengthen relationships where they do exist to take advantage of multidisciplinary skills. In time, agricultural output and the demand for fresh produce will increase. With advances in the sensitivity of pathogen testing and epidemiological tracebacks, the need to mitigate preharvest bacterial contamination of fresh produce will become paramount. Hence, soil decontamination technologies may become more economically feasible and practical in light of increasing the microbial safety of fresh produce.

H5PV2Mo10O40 encapsulated in MIL-101(Cr): facile synthesis and characterization of rationally designed composite materials for efficient decontamination of sulfur mustard.

PubMed

Li, Yanqin; Gao, Qi; Zhang, Lijuan; Zhou, Yunshan; Zhong, Yuxu; Ying, Ying; Zhang, Mingcai; Huang, Chunqian; Wang, Yong'an

2018-05-08

Currently extensive effort is compulsively expended to decontaminate efficiently banned chemical war agents. In this work, H5PV2Mo10O40 molecules have been encapsulated in mesoporous MIL-101(Cr), which features two types of mesoporous cages (internal diameters of 29 Å and 34 Å) and microporous windows (diameters of 12 Å and 16 Å), leading to the formation of a new composite H5PV2Mo10O40@MIL-101(Cr) through a simple impregnation method. The composite was characterized thoroughly by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, TG/DTA, and textural analysis thereby confirming the encapsulation of the H5PV2Mo10O40 into MIL-101(Cr). The decontamination efficiency of sulfur mustard (4 μL HD in 40 μL of petroleum ether) by 20 mg of the composite is found to be 97.39% in 120 min under ambient conditions. GC-MS analysis on the decontaminated products using 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), which has been widely used as a simulant of sulfur mustard, showed that MIL-101(Cr) just decontaminates CEES by adsorption, while CEES can be decontaminated under ambient conditions by a synergetic combination of adsorption of MIL-101(Cr) and subsequent chemical oxidation degradation to nontoxic 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) due to the presence of highly dispersed H5PV2Mo10O40 within the composites.

Evaluation of three different decontamination techniques on biofilm formation, and on physical and chemical properties of resin composites.

PubMed

André, Carolina Bosso; Dos Santos, Andressa; Pfeifer, Carmem Silvia; Giannini, Marcelo; Girotto, Emerson Marcelo; Ferracane, Jack Liborio

2018-04-01

This study evaluated three different sterilization/disinfection techniques for resin composites on bacterial growth and surface modification after decontamination. Two resin composites were sterilized/disinfected with three different techniques: UV light, 1% chloramine T, and 70% ethanol. Four different times were used for each technique to determine the shortest time that the solution or UV light was effective. The influence of sterilization/disinfection technique on bacterial growth was evaluated by analyzing the metabolic activity, using the AlamarBlue™ assay, bacterial viability, and SEM images from biofilms of Streptococcus mutans. The surface change, after the process, was analyzed with ATR/FTIR and SEM images. The solutions used for decontamination (1% chloramine-T and 70% ethanol) were analyzed with 1 H-NMR to identify any resin compounds leached during the process. One minute of decontamination was efficient for all three methods tested. Chloramine-T increased the surface porosity on resin composites, no changes were observed for UV light and 70% ethanol, however, 1 H-NMR identified leached monomers only when 70% ethanol was used. No chemical change of the materials was found under ATR/FTIR analyses after the decontamination process. Chloramine-T, with no previous wash, increased the bacterial viability for both resin composites and increased the bacterial metabolism for the resin composite without fluoride. UV light had no interference on the resin composites properties tested using 1 min of exposure compared to the other decontamination methods. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 945-953, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preventive measures and lifestyle habits against exertional heat illness in radiation decontamination workers

PubMed Central

Endo, Shota; Kakamu, Takeyasu; Sato, Sei; Hidaka, Tomoo; Kumagai, Tomohiro; Nakano, Shinichi; Koyama, Kikuo; Fukushima, Tetsuhito

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to reveal the current state of preventive measures and lifestyle habits against heat illness in radiation decontamination workers and to examine whether young radiation decontamination workers take less preventive measures and have worse lifestyle habits than the elder workers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 1,505 radiation decontamination workers in Fukushima, Japan. Five hundred fifty-eight men who replied and answered all questions were included in the statistical analysis. The questionnaire included age, duration of decontamination work, previous occupation, lifestyle habit, and preventive measures for heat illness. We classified age of the respondents into five groups: <30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 years and defined the workers under 30 years of age as young workers. Logistic regression analysis was used to reveal the factors associated with each lifestyle habit and preventive measures. Results: In comparison with young workers, 50-59-year-old workers were significantly associated with refraining from drinking alcohol. Workers 40 years of age or older were significantly associated with cooling their bodies with refrigerant. Furthermore, 30-39-year-old workers and 40-49-year-old workers were significantly associated with adequate consumption of water compared to young workers. Conclusion: The results of our study suggests that young decontamination workers are more likely to have worse lifestyle habits and take insufficient preventive measures for heat illness. This may be the cause of higher incidence of heat illness among young workers. PMID:28794393

Use of a human skin in vitro model to investigate the influence of 'every-day' clothing and skin surface decontamination on the percutaneous penetration of organophosphates.

PubMed

Moore, C A; Wilkinson, S C; Blain, P G; Dunn, M; Aust, G A; Williams, F M

2014-08-17

Organophosphates (OPs) are widely used in agriculture. Many studies have investigated the capability of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce chemical exposure; however, investigations into the protective effect of 'every-day' clothing are rare. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of 'every-day' clothing against dermal exposure and to measure early decontamination of skin following exposure to chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos. Using human skin in vitro, absorption of (14)C-labelled chlorpyrifos (500 ng/cm(2)), was shown to be significantly reduced when applied to clothed skin (cotton shirt), regardless of application vehicle (isopropanol (IPA) or propylene glycol (PG)). The majority of applied dose was retained within the clothing after 4 h exposure. Significant reduction in absorption of chlorpyrifos (in PG) was seen through clothed skin when supplemented with skin decontamination at 4 h, compared with clothed skin decontaminated after 24 h, however, this was not observed with IPA. Absorption of dichlorvos (5 μg/cm(2)) was greater through unclothed skin than chlorpyrifos for all vehicles (IPA, isopropyl myristate (IPM) and PG). Significant reduction in absorption was observed when decontaminating clothed skin at 30 min, compared with decontamination at 24 h (post-exposure) for all vehicles. indicate that 'every-day' clothing is effective at reducing exposure to chemicals in contact with skin. Washing the skin surface immediately following removal of exposed clothing can further reduce exposure, depending on the properties of the chemical and vehicle applied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eradication of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and of Enterobacteriaceae Expressing Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases on a Model Pig Farm

PubMed Central

Kellner, Sophia Ricarda; Schulze-Geisthoevel, Sophia Veronika; Hack, Sylvia; Engelhart, Steffen; Bodenstein, Isabel; Al-Sabti, Nahed; Reif, Marion; Fimmers, Rolf; Körber-Irrgang, Barbara; Harlizius, Jürgen; Hoerauf, Achim; Exner, Martin; Bierbaum, Gabriele; Petersen, Brigitte

2015-01-01

Colonization of livestock with bacteria resistant to antibiotics is considered a risk for the entry of drug-resistant pathogens into the food chain. For this reason, there is a need for novel concepts to address the eradication of drug-resistant commensals on farms. In the present report, we evaluated the decontamination measures taken on a farm contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL-E). The decontamination process preceded the conversion from piglet breeding to gilt production. Microbiological surveillance showed that the decontamination measures eliminated the MRSA and ESBL-E strains that were detected on the farm before the complete removal of pigs, cleaning and disinfection of the stable, and construction of an additional stable meeting high-quality standards. After pig production was restarted, ESBL-E remained undetectable over 12 months, but MRSA was recovered from pigs and the environment within the first 2 days. However, spa (Staphylococcus aureus protein A gene) typing revealed acquisition of an MRSA strain (type t034) that had not been detected before decontamination. Interestingly, we observed that a farmworker who had been colonized with the prior MRSA strain (t2011) acquired the new strain (t034) after 2 months. In summary, this report demonstrates that decontamination protocols similar to those used here can lead to successful elimination of contaminating MRSA and ESBL-E in pigs and the stable environment. Nevertheless, decontamination protocols do not prevent the acquisition of new MRSA strains. PMID:26341200

Eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and of Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases on a model pig farm.

PubMed

Schmithausen, Ricarda Maria; Kellner, Sophia Ricarda; Schulze-Geisthoevel, Sophia Veronika; Hack, Sylvia; Engelhart, Steffen; Bodenstein, Isabel; Al-Sabti, Nahed; Reif, Marion; Fimmers, Rolf; Körber-Irrgang, Barbara; Harlizius, Jürgen; Hoerauf, Achim; Exner, Martin; Bierbaum, Gabriele; Petersen, Brigitte; Bekeredjian-Ding, Isabelle

2015-11-01

Colonization of livestock with bacteria resistant to antibiotics is considered a risk for the entry of drug-resistant pathogens into the food chain. For this reason, there is a need for novel concepts to address the eradication of drug-resistant commensals on farms. In the present report, we evaluated the decontamination measures taken on a farm contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL-E). The decontamination process preceded the conversion from piglet breeding to gilt production. Microbiological surveillance showed that the decontamination measures eliminated the MRSA and ESBL-E strains that were detected on the farm before the complete removal of pigs, cleaning and disinfection of the stable, and construction of an additional stable meeting high-quality standards. After pig production was restarted, ESBL-E remained undetectable over 12 months, but MRSA was recovered from pigs and the environment within the first 2 days. However, spa (Staphylococcus aureus protein A gene) typing revealed acquisition of an MRSA strain (type t034) that had not been detected before decontamination. Interestingly, we observed that a farmworker who had been colonized with the prior MRSA strain (t2011) acquired the new strain (t034) after 2 months. In summary, this report demonstrates that decontamination protocols similar to those used here can lead to successful elimination of contaminating MRSA and ESBL-E in pigs and the stable environment. Nevertheless, decontamination protocols do not prevent the acquisition of new MRSA strains. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

24 CFR 4.36 - Action by the Ethics Law Division.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Action by the Ethics Law Division... the Ethics Law Division. (a) After review of the Inspector General's report, the Ethics Law Division... that a violation of Section 103 or this subpart B has occurred. (b) If the Ethics Law Division...

24 CFR 4.36 - Action by the Ethics Law Division.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Action by the Ethics Law Division... the Ethics Law Division. (a) After review of the Inspector General's report, the Ethics Law Division... that a violation of Section 103 or this subpart B has occurred. (b) If the Ethics Law Division...

24 CFR 4.36 - Action by the Ethics Law Division.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Action by the Ethics Law Division... the Ethics Law Division. (a) After review of the Inspector General's report, the Ethics Law Division... that a violation of Section 103 or this subpart B has occurred. (b) If the Ethics Law Division...

24 CFR 4.36 - Action by the Ethics Law Division.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Action by the Ethics Law Division... the Ethics Law Division. (a) After review of the Inspector General's report, the Ethics Law Division... that a violation of Section 103 or this subpart B has occurred. (b) If the Ethics Law Division...

24 CFR 4.36 - Action by the Ethics Law Division.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Action by the Ethics Law Division... the Ethics Law Division. (a) After review of the Inspector General's report, the Ethics Law Division... that a violation of Section 103 or this subpart B has occurred. (b) If the Ethics Law Division...

New regulations for radiation protection for work involving radioactive fallout emitted by the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi APP accident--disposal of contaminated soil and wastes.

PubMed

Yasui, Shojiro

2014-01-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Atomic Power Plant that accompanied the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, released a large amount of radioactive material. To rehabilitate the contaminated areas, the government of Japan decided to carry out decontamination work and manage the waste resulting from decontamination. In the summer of 2013, the Ministry of the Environment planned to begin a full-scale process for waste disposal of contaminated soil and wastes removed as part of the decontamination work. The existing regulations were not developed to address such a large amount of contaminated wastes. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), therefore, had to amend the existing regulations for waste disposal workers. The amendment of the general regulation targeted the areas where the existing exposure situation overlaps the planned exposure situation. The MHLW established the demarcation lines between the two regulations to be applied in each situation. The amendment was also intended to establish provisions for the operation of waste disposal facilities that handle large amounts of contaminated materials. Deliberation concerning the regulation was conducted when the facilities were under design; hence, necessary adjustments should be made as needed during the operation of the facilities.

Novel approach to the microbial decontamination of strawberries: chlorophyllin-based photosensitization.

PubMed

Luksiene, Z; Paskeviciute, E

2011-05-01

This study is focused on the possibility to control microbial contamination of strawberries by chlorophyllin (Na-Chl)-based photosensitization. Moreover, photosensitization-induced effects on key quality attributes of treated strawberries was evaluated.   Strawberries were inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes ATC(L3) C 7644, soaked in 1mmol l(-1) Na-Chl for 5 min and illuminated for 30 min with visible light (λ = 400 nm, energy density 12 mW cm(-2) ). Results indicated that the decontamination of strawberries using photosensitization was 98% compared to control sample. Naturally occurring yeasts/microfungi and mesophiles were inhibited by 86 and 97%, respectively. The shelf life of treated strawberries was extended by 2 days. The total antioxidant activity of treated strawberries increased by 19%. No impact on the amount of phenols, anthocyanins or surface colour was detected.   Photosensitization may be an effective, nonthermal and environmentally friendly microbial decontamination technique which expands the shelf life of strawberries without any negative impact on antioxidant activity, and phenols, anthocyanins or colour formation. Experimental data support the idea that Na-Chl-based photosensitization can be a useful tool for the future development of nonthermal food preservation technology. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Disinfectant wipes are appropriate to control microbial bioburden from surfaces: use of a new ASTM standard test protocol to demonstrate efficacy.

PubMed

Sattar, S A; Bradley, C; Kibbee, R; Wesgate, R; Wilkinson, M A C; Sharpe, T; Maillard, J-Y

2015-12-01

The use of disinfectant pre-soaked wipes (DPW) to decontaminate high-touch environmental surfaces (HTES) by wiping is becoming increasingly widespread in the healthcare environment. However, DPW are rarely tested using conditions simulating their field use, and the label claims of environmental surface disinfectants seldom include wiping action. To evaluate the new E2967-15 standard test specific to wipes, particularly their ability to decontaminate surfaces and to transfer acquired contamination to clean surfaces. ASTM Standard E2967-15 was used by three independent laboratories to test the efficacy of five types of commercially available wipe products. All data generated were pulled together, and reproducibility and repeatability of the standard were measured. All the commercial DPW tested achieved a >4log10 (>99.99%) reduction in colony-forming units (CFU) of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumanii with 10s of wiping, but only one DPW containing 0.5% accelerated H2O2 prevented the transfer of bacteria to another surface. This newly introduced standard method represents a significant advance in assessing DPW for microbial decontamination of HTES, and should greatly assist research and development, and in making more relevant and reliable claims on marketed DPW. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

US screening of international travelers for radioactive contamination after the Japanese nuclear plant disaster in March 2011.

PubMed

Wilson, Todd; Chang, Arthur; Berro, Andre; Still, Aaron; Brown, Clive; Demma, Andrew; Nemhauser, Jeffrey; Martin, Colleen; Salame-Alfie, Adela; Fisher-Tyler, Frieda; Smith, Lee; Grady-Erickson, Onalee; Alvarado-Ramy, Francisco; Brunette, Gary; Ansari, Armin; McAdam, David; Marano, Nina

2012-10-01

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi complex in Japan, resulting in radionuclide release. In response, US officials augmented existing radiological screening at its ports of entry (POEs) to detect and decontaminate travelers contaminated with radioactive materials. During March 12 to 16, radiation screening protocols detected 3 travelers from Japan with external radioactive material contamination at 2 air POEs. Beginning March 23, federal officials collaborated with state and local public health and radiation control authorities to enhance screening and decontamination protocols at POEs. Approximately 543 000 (99%) travelers arriving directly from Japan at 25 US airports were screened for radiation contamination from March 17 to April 30, and no traveler was detected with contamination sufficient to require a large-scale public health response. The response highlighted synergistic collaboration across government levels and leveraged screening methods already in place at POEs, leading to rapid protocol implementation. Policy development, planning, training, and exercising response protocols and the establishment of federal authority to compel decontamination of travelers are needed for future radiological responses. Comparison of resource-intensive screening costs with the public health yield should guide policy decisions, given the historically low frequency of contaminated travelers arriving during radiological disasters.

A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL (DST) FOR DISPOSAL OF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Symposium Paper AFTER A BUILDING OR WATER TREATMENT/DISTRIBUTION FACILITY HAS GONE THROUGH DECONTAMINATION ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING A CONTAMINATION EVENT WITH CHEMICAL/BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS OR TOXIC INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL, THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL MATERIAL AND WASTE TO BE DISPOSED. A CONTAMINATION EVENT COULD OCCUR FROM TERRORIST ACTIVITY OR FROM A NATURAL DISASTER SUCH AS THE RECENT HURRICANE EVENTS IN THE GULF COAST WHERE MOLD AND POLLUTANTS FROM DAMAGED CHEMICAL AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES HAVE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF CONTAMINATED MATERIALS. IT iS LIKELY THAT MUCH OF THIS MATERIAL WILL BE DISPOSED OF IN PERMITTED LANDFILLS OR HIGH TEMPERATURE THERMAL INCINERATION FACILITIES. DATA HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM THE OPEN LITERATURE, FROM STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES, AND FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT AND WATER UTILITY INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, TO DEVELOP TECHNICAL GUIDANCE FOR DISPOSAL OF THESe RESIDUES. THE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE, AND OLD INFORMATION (SUCH AS CONTACT INFORMATION FOR KEY PERSONNEL) CHANGES. THE PRiMARY AUDIENCE FOR THIS TOOL WILL BE: 1) EMERGENCY RESPONSE AUTHORITIES WHO HAVE TO DECIDE THE MOST APPROPRIATE DECONTAMINATION METHODS AND DISPOSAL OF THE RESULTING RESIDUES; 2)STATE AND LOCAL PERMITTING AGENCIES, WHO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH FACILITIES WILL BE ALLOWED TO DISPOSE OF THE MATERIALS: AND 3) THE WASTE MANAGEMENT AND WATER UTILITY INDUSTRY, THAT NEEDS TO SAFELY DISPOSE OF DECONTAMINATION RESIDUE

ETV REPORT: CERTEK, INC. 1414RH FORMALDEHYDE GENERATOR/NEUTRALIZER

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Technology Verification report discusses the technology and performance of the 1414RH Formaldehyde Generator/Neuralizer, a biological decontamination device manufactured by CERTEK, Inc. The unit was tested by evaluating its ability to decontaminate seven types ...

Transfer of radio-cesium from forest soil to woodchips using fungal activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaneko, Nobuhiro; Huang, Yao; Tanaka, Yoichiro; Fujiwara, Yoshihiro; Sasaki, Michiko; Toda, Hiroto; Takahashi, Terumasa; Kobayashi, Tatsuaki; Harada, Naoki; Nonaka, Masahiro

2014-05-01

Raido-cesium released to terrestrial ecosystems by nuclear accidents is know to accumulate forest soil and organic layer on the soil. Forests in Japan are not exceptions. Practically it is impossible to decontaminate large area of forests. However, there is a strong demand from local people, who has been using secondary forests (Satoyama) around croplands in hilly areas, to decontaminate radio-cesium, because those people used to collect wild mushrooms and edible plants, and there are active cultures of mushrooms using logs and sawdusts. These natural resource uses consist substantial part of their economical activities, Therefore it is needed to decontaminate some selected part of forests in Japan to local economy. Clear cutting and scraping surface soil and organic matter are common methods of decontamination. However the efficiency of decontamination is up to 30% reduction of aerial radiation, and the cost to preserve contaminated debris is not affordable. In this study we used wood chips as a growth media for saprotrophic fungi which are known to accumulate redio-cesium. There are many studies indicated that mushrooms accumulated redio-cesium from forest soil and organic layer. It is not practical to collect mushrooms to decontaminate redio-cesium, because biomass of mushrooms are not enough to collect total contaminants. Mushrooms are only minor part of saprotrophic fungi. Fungal biomass in forest soil is about 1% of dead organic matter on forest floor. Our previous study to observe Cs accumulation to decomposing leaf litter indicated 18% absorption of total soil radio-Cs to litter during one year field incubation (Kaneko et al., 2013), and Cs concentration was proportional to fungal biomass on litter. This result indicated that fungi transferred radio-cesium around newly supplied leaf litter free of contamination. Therefore effective decontamination will be possible if we can provide large amount of growth media for saprotrophic fungi, and the media can be removed from forests with fungal bodies. We covered forest floor using wood chips, and observed Cs accumulation, and found that up to 50% of soil radio-cesium was transferred from soil to wood chips after 6-month of field incubation. Therefore this method is effective to decontaminate forest using ecological process. Kaneko N, Huang Y, Nakamori T, Tanaka Y, Nonaka M. Radio-cesium accumulation during decomposition of leaf litter in a deciduous forest after the Fukushima NPP accident. Geophysical Research Abstracts. 2013;15(EGU2013):7809.

Decontamination of breast pump milk collection kits and related items at home and in hospital: guidance from a Joint Working Group of the Healthcare Infection Society & Infection Prevention Society.

PubMed

Price, E; Weaver, G; Hoffman, P; Jones, M; Gilks, J; O'Brien, V; Ridgway, G

2016-03-01

A variety of methods are in use for decontaminating breast pump milk collection kits and related items associated with infant feeding. This paper aims to provide best practice guidance for decontamination of this equipment at home and in hospital. It has been compiled by a joint Working Group of the Healthcare Infection Society and the Infection Prevention Society. The guidance has been informed by a search of the literature in Medline, the British Nursing Index, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Midwifery & Infant Care and the results of two surveys of UK neonatal units in 2002/3 and 2006, and of members of the Infection Prevention Society in 2014. Since limited good quality evidence was available from these sources much of the guidance represents good practice based on the consensus view of the Working Group. Breast pump milk collection kits should not be reused by different mothers unless they have been sterilized in a Sterile Services Department between these different users.When used by the same mother, a detergent wash followed by thorough rinsing and drying after each use gives acceptable decontamination for most circumstances, as long as it is performed correctly.Additional decontamination precautions to washing, rinsing and drying may be used if indicated by local risk assessments and on advice from the departmental clinicians and Infection Prevention and Control Teams. The microbiological quality of the rinse water is an important consideration, particularly for infants on neonatal units.If bottle brushes or breast/nipple shields are used, they should be for use by one mother only. Decontamination should be by the processes used for breast pump milk collection kits.Dummies (soothers, pacifiers or comforters) needed for non-nutritive sucking by infants on neonatal units, should be for single infant use. Manufacturers should provide these dummies ready-to-use and individually packaged. They must be discarded at least every 24 hours or immediately if soiled with anything other than the baby's saliva. No attempt should be made to decontaminate the dummies, either before or during use. This guidance provides practical recommendations to support the safe decontamination of breast pump milk collection kits for healthcare professionals to use and communicate to other groups such as parents and carers.

Decontamination of breast pump milk collection kits and related items at home and in hospital: guidance from a Joint Working Group of the Healthcare Infection Society & Infection Prevention Society*

PubMed Central

Price, E; Weaver, G; Hoffman, P; Jones, M; Gilks, J; O’Brien, V; Ridgway, G

2015-01-01

Introduction: A variety of methods are in use for decontaminating breast pump milk collection kits and related items associated with infant feeding. This paper aims to provide best practice guidance for decontamination of this equipment at home and in hospital. It has been compiled by a joint Working Group of the Healthcare Infection Society and the Infection Prevention Society. Methods: The guidance has been informed by a search of the literature in Medline, the British Nursing Index, the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Midwifery & Infant Care and the results of two surveys of UK neonatal units in 2002/3 and 2006, and of members of the Infection Prevention Society in 2014. Since limited good quality evidence was available from these sources much of the guidance represents good practice based on the consensus view of the Working Group. Key recommendations: Breast pump milk collection kits should not be reused by different mothers unless they have been sterilized in a Sterile Services Department between these different users. When used by the same mother, a detergent wash followed by thorough rinsing and drying after each use gives acceptable decontamination for most circumstances, as long as it is performed correctly. Additional decontamination precautions to washing, rinsing and drying may be used if indicated by local risk assessments and on advice from the departmental clinicians and Infection Prevention and Control Teams. The microbiological quality of the rinse water is an important consideration, particularly for infants on neonatal units. If bottle brushes or breast/nipple shields are used, they should be for use by one mother only. Decontamination should be by the processes used for breast pump milk collection kits. Dummies (soothers, pacifiers or comforters) needed for non-nutritive sucking by infants on neonatal units, should be for single infant use. Manufacturers should provide these dummies ready-to-use and individually packaged. They must be discarded at least every 24 hours or immediately if soiled with anything other than the baby’s saliva. No attempt should be made to decontaminate the dummies, either before or during use. Conclusion: This guidance provides practical recommendations to support the safe decontamination of breast pump milk collection kits for healthcare professionals to use and communicate to other groups such as parents and carers. PMID:28989455

Antibiotics or probiotics as preventive measures against ventilator-associated pneumonia: a literature review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Mechanically ventilated critically ill patients frequently develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a life-threatening complication. Proposed preventive measures against VAP include, but are not restricted to, selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD), selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) and the use of probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that could have beneficial effects on the host by altering gastrointestinal flora. Similar to SDD and SOD, a prescription of probiotics aims at the prevention of secondary colonization of the upper and/or lower digestive tract. Methods We performed a literature review to describe the differences and similarities between SDD/SOD and probiotic preventive strategies, focusing on (a) efficacy, (b) risks, and (c) the routing of these strategies. Results Reductions in the incidence of VAP have been achieved with SDD and SOD. Two large randomized controlled trials even showed reduced mortality with these preventive strategies. Randomized controlled trials of probiotic strategies also showed a reduction of the incidence of VAP, but trials were too small to draw firm conclusions. Preventive strategies with antibiotics and probiotics may be limited due to the risk of emerging resistance to the locally applied antibiotics and the risk of probiotic-related infections, respectively. The majority of trials of SDD and SOD did not exhaustively address the issue of emerging resistance. Likewise, trials of probiotic strategies did not adequately address the risk of colonization with probiotics and probiotic-related infection. In studies of SDD and SOD the preventive strategy aimed at decontamination of the oral cavity, throat, stomach and intestines, and the oral cavity and throat, respectively. In the vast majority of studies of probiotic therapy the preventive strategy aimed at decontamination of the stomach and intestines. Conclusions Prophylactic use of antibiotics in critically ill patients is effective in reducing the incidence of VAP. Probiotic strategies deserve consideration in future well-powered trials. Future studies are needed to determine if preventive antibiotic and probiotic strategies are safe with regard to development of antibiotic resistance and probiotic infections. It should be determined whether the efficacy of probiotics improves when these agents are provided to the mouth and the intestines simultaneously. PMID:21232110

Development of an Aerosol Surface Inoculation Method for Bacillus Spores ▿

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang Don; Ryan, Shawn P.; Snyder, Emily Gibb

2011-01-01

A method was developed to deposit Bacillus subtilis spores via aerosolization onto various surface materials for biological agent decontamination and detection studies. This new method uses an apparatus coupled with a metered dose inhaler to reproducibly deposit spores onto various surfaces. A metered dose inhaler was loaded with Bacillus subtilis spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Five different material surfaces (aluminum, galvanized steel, wood, carpet, and painted wallboard paper) were tested using this spore deposition method. This aerosolization method deposited spores at a concentration of more than 107 CFU per coupon (18-mm diameter) with less than a 50% coefficient of variation, showing that the aerosolization method developed in this study can deposit reproducible numbers of spores onto various surface coupons. Scanning electron microscopy was used to probe the spore deposition patterns on test coupons. The deposition patterns observed following aerosol impaction were compared to those of liquid inoculation. A physical difference in the spore deposition patterns was observed to result from the two different methods. The spore deposition method developed in this study will help prepare spore coupons via aerosolization fast and reproducibly for bench top decontamination and detection studies. PMID:21193670

Development of an aerosol surface inoculation method for bacillus spores.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Don; Ryan, Shawn P; Snyder, Emily Gibb

2011-03-01

A method was developed to deposit Bacillus subtilis spores via aerosolization onto various surface materials for biological agent decontamination and detection studies. This new method uses an apparatus coupled with a metered dose inhaler to reproducibly deposit spores onto various surfaces. A metered dose inhaler was loaded with Bacillus subtilis spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Five different material surfaces (aluminum, galvanized steel, wood, carpet, and painted wallboard paper) were tested using this spore deposition method. This aerosolization method deposited spores at a concentration of more than 10(7) CFU per coupon (18-mm diameter) with less than a 50% coefficient of variation, showing that the aerosolization method developed in this study can deposit reproducible numbers of spores onto various surface coupons. Scanning electron microscopy was used to probe the spore deposition patterns on test coupons. The deposition patterns observed following aerosol impaction were compared to those of liquid inoculation. A physical difference in the spore deposition patterns was observed to result from the two different methods. The spore deposition method developed in this study will help prepare spore coupons via aerosolization fast and reproducibly for bench top decontamination and detection studies.

Effects of calcium at toxic concentrations of cadmium in plants.

PubMed

Huang, Danlian; Gong, Xiaomin; Liu, Yunguo; Zeng, Guangming; Lai, Cui; Bashir, Hassan; Zhou, Lu; Wang, Dafei; Xu, Piao; Cheng, Min; Wan, Jia

2017-05-01

This review provides new insight that calcium plays important roles in plant growth, heavy metal accumulation and translocation, photosynthesis, oxidative damage and signal transduction under cadmium stress. Increasing heavy metal pollution problems have raised word-wide concerns. Cadmium (Cd), being a highly toxic metal, poses potential risks both to ecosystems and human health. Compared with conventional technologies, phytoremediation, being cost-efficient, highly stable and environment-friendly, is believed to be a promising green technology for Cd decontamination. However, Cd can be easily taken up by plants and may cause severe phytotoxicity to plants, thus limiting the efficiency of phytoremediation. Various researches are being done to investigate the effects of exogenous substances on the mitigation of Cd toxicity to plants. Calcium (Ca) is an essential plant macronutrient that involved in various plant physiological processes, such as plant growth and development, cell division, cytoplasmic streaming, photosynthesis and intracellular signaling transduction. Due to the chemical similarity between Ca and Cd, Ca may mediate Cd-induced physiological or metabolic changes in plants. Recent studies have shown that Ca could be used as an exogenous substance to protect plants against Cd stress by the alleviation of growth inhibition, regulation of metal uptake and translocation, improvement of photosynthesis, mitigation of oxidative damages and the control of signal transduction in the plants. The effects of Ca on toxic concentrations of Cd in plants are reviewed. This review also provides new insight that plants with enhanced Ca level have improved resistance to Cd stress.

78 FR 28630 - Pfizer Therapeutic Research, Pfizer Worldwide Research & Development Division, Formerly Known as...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-15

..., Comparative Medicine Department, Including On-Site Leased From Charles River Laboratories and Execupharm, Inc... & Development Division, Comparative Medicine Department, including on-site leased workers from Charles River... Division, formerly known as Warner Lambert Company, Comparative Medicine Department. The Department has...

Novel technologies for decontamination of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The complex challenges facing producers and processors of fresh produce require creative applications of conventional treatments and innovative approaches to develop entirely novel treatments. The varied nature of fresh and fresh-cut produce demands solutions that are adapted and optimized for each ...

10 CFR 766.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ENERGY URANIUM ENRICHMENT DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING FUND; PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF... account in the U.S. Treasury referred to as the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning... separative work unit, the common measure by which uranium enrichment services are sold. TESS means the Toll...

10 CFR 766.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ENERGY URANIUM ENRICHMENT DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING FUND; PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF... account in the U.S. Treasury referred to as the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning... separative work unit, the common measure by which uranium enrichment services are sold. TESS means the Toll...

10 CFR 766.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ENERGY URANIUM ENRICHMENT DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING FUND; PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF... account in the U.S. Treasury referred to as the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning... separative work unit, the common measure by which uranium enrichment services are sold. TESS means the Toll...

10 CFR 766.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ENERGY URANIUM ENRICHMENT DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING FUND; PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OF... account in the U.S. Treasury referred to as the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning... separative work unit, the common measure by which uranium enrichment services are sold. TESS means the Toll...

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: PCB SEDIMENT DECONTAMINATION PROCESS-SELECTION FOR TEST AND EVALUATION

EPA Science Inventory

This document is a report describing the assessment of seven alternative treatment processes that show potential for decontaminating polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sediments. The processes are KPEG, MODAR Supercritical Water Oxidation, Bio-Clean, Ultrasonics/UV, C...