From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Fri Mar 21 2003 - 15:36:27 MST
A spirinkle a day, keeps bio, chem, or viruses away!
http://www.iop.org/Physics/News/0536p
<<Counter-terrorist spray - The Physics Congress 2003
Monday 17 March 2003
New electrostatic spray apparatus which could save lives after a terrorist
attack involving chemical or biological weapons will be revealed by Professor
Edward Law of the University of Georgia, USA, to this year's Institute of
Physics Congress at Heriot-Watt University on Thursday 27 March. The
apparatus can quickly and effectively decontaminate the skin without
producing lots of contaminated waste.
The equipment is based on an electrostatic system that sprays a fine,
atomised mist carrying decontaminating compounds, such as an antitoxins,
disinfectants, or sanitizers, on to bare skin. The mist penetrates every
crevice, the tiny droplets have what Professor Law described as "adequate
residual aerodynamic energy to convey and penetrate the electrified droplets
into Faraday-shielded regions." In other words, the droplets get on to the
skin of the armpit and groin areas.
Electrostatic spraying has been used in industry to ensure an even and
complete coating of paint and coloured powders on manufactured goods, such as
cars, and in agriculture to make sure pest-control chemicals cover a crop.
Professor Law and his colleagues have previously developed improved
electrostatic spraying systems for industry and agriculture. In the current
international political climate, Law was motivated by the need to make a
contribution toward protecting people, both civilians and the armed forces,
exposed to biological and chemical weapons.
The apparatus takes the form of a walk-through booth with several
microprocessor controlled nozzles. The nozzles are electrically wired so that
the droplets of decontaminant solution spraying out are electrostatically
charged and so stick to the skin of anyone standing in their path. Professor
Law said 90 people an hour can be sprayed head to foot with 100 millilitres
each of decontaminating spray. Only about 20 millilitres per spraying is
wasted.
Tests on mannequin and human subjects with innocuous bacteria put on their
skin has demonstrated how effective the portable apparatus is in covering the
person with antibacterial spray, said Professor Law. "Our apparatus was about
fifty times better at decontaminating the volunteers than other methods using
uncharged spray," he explained.
"An important feature retained in our engineering design is mobility, the
booth is not restricted to hospital use, and provides relatively high human
'throughput' for protective treatment," he added. "What remains to be
evaluated is the control efficacy of decontaminant sprays which are specific
to likely biological warfare agents."
For the full press release, please go to the press release page>>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Mar 21 2003 - 15:46:55 MST