Research
Biological Warfare
| Article
6 |
Anthrax
will not kill you instantly so having a healthy immune
system to fight the disease until you get medical treatment
might make a difference. |
University Of Missouri Researchers Discover Decontamination
Treatment For Anthrax
 COLUMBIA,
Mo. 11-22-2001 -- In response to the immediate threats of
bio-terrorist attacks, University of Missouri-Columbia College
of Engineering researchers Randy Curry and Kenneth McDonald
have developed a process that rapidly kills a wide range
of microbes on any surface, including anthrax spores and
viruses.
The
MU anthrax decontamination solution, which is suitable for
virtually any surface material, is applied by foam, spray,
mist, fog, or steam and kills most microbes within a few
minutes of exposure. Moreover, the properties can be enhanced
by ultraviolet light interaction, reducing the anthrax decontamination
time to a few seconds. The MU researchers' process works
on dense spore clusters such as anthrax, and this decontamination
is not harmful to the environment. |
|
Tests
with anthrax spores have shown a complete destruction of the spores
in the decontamination process. The environmentally benign compound
is inexpensive and can be sprayed using either foaming agents
or soaps, or can be applied using ingredients that permit the
fluid to uniformly coat all surfaces. When sprayed, the compound
dries and does not require cleanup.
The compound for anthrax decontamination can be made with commercial
off-the-shelf chemicals, is inexpensive and easily available.
The decontaminant is compatible with paper, carpet, linoleum,
metal and other typical office or residential surfaces. Although
developed for military defense applications the decontaminant
is applicable to any civilian application including decontamination
of buildings, post offices, ventilation ducts, carpet, clothes
and electronic equipment. The decontaminant is compatible with
firefighting foams.
The U.S. Marine Corp. and the United States Army Space and Missile
Defense Command funded this research project on anthrax decontamination.
Editor's
Note: The original news release on anthrax decontamination
can be found at www.web.missouri.edu/~news.
Note:
This story has been adapted from a news release on anthrax decontamination
issued by University Of Missouri-Columbia for journalists and
other members of the public. If you wish to quote from any part
of this story on anthrax decontamination, please credit University
Of Missouri-Columbia as the original source. This article was
taken from Science Daily at www.sciencedaily.com.
Next
- Back
to Biological Warfare Research
