By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
Hybrid decontamination is catching up fast to be an established decontamination method to protect warfighters and defense equipment.
Blot, apply and remove is the concept proposed by Fredericksburg, Virginia-based First Line Technology. Dry wiping followed by chemical application enables successful decontamination.
FiberTect decontamination wipe was invented at the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech University. It is finding broader applications in not only cleaning-up toxic chemicals such as mustard gas, but also it is able to adsorb finer particles like synthetic opioids. The United States’s Army’s recent evaluation report shows the advantages of such dry decontamination wipes.
Technology enables us to use different fibers as absorbent layers, while the core is high surface area nonwoven material. If raw cotton is used as an absorbent layer, it becomes oleophilic while bleached cotton provides different functionality.
Interest in using FiberTect wipe, and the hybrid decontamination technology is growing all over the world according to First Line technology.
Recently, Washington D. C.’s 33rd Civil Support Team conducted advanced training in Ponce, Puerto Rico, alongside federal partners and the D.C. Fire Department. This training featured hybrid decontamination technology involving FiberTect dry nonwoven wipe.
According to First Line Technology, the training exercise involved surveying, sampling, and analyzing pharmaceutical and nerve agent hazards, decontamination procedures, and contaminated personnel recovery. The appended photo shows how FiberTect is flexible enough to be used to clean complex surfaces and body parts.
The hybrid decontamination process proves to be effective, efficient and economical, avoiding excessive use of chemicals and many countries are adopting this decontamination concept.
“FiberTect is the best choice for an all-hazards Dry Decon solution. From dry particulate to liquid chemical threats FiberTect has a 95% threat removal rate and is effective against CWA, TIC’s, and radiological contaminants,” stated Reggie Norton, Decon Tect Product Manager, First Line Technology.
FiberTect is a good example of “Mind to Market,” concept which demonstrated the value of translational research at university with the support of federal government.
