Remediation Following Chemical and Biological Attacks

Raber, Ellen; Carlsen, Tina M.; Kirvel, Robert

doi:10.7551/mitpress/9780262012980.003.0013

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Choices regarding decontamination technologies focus on identified best practices while taking into account cost-benefit and risk-benefit considerations together with site-specific environmental parameters. 19 The prioritization of decontamination activities, required tools and techniques, pet and wildlife issues, indoor versus outdoor decontamination, preparation of a Remediation Action Plan, decontamination implementation, verification of decontamination processes, and waste management and disposal issues are all addressed in the guidance documents. The guidance stresses the concept that decisions as to which decontamination method to apply must be incident-and site-specific, including the possible use of monitored natural attenuation in areas deemed less critical than others.…”

Section: The Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

The National Framework and Consequence Management Guidance Following a Biological Attack

Raber

Hibbard²,

Greenwalt³

2011

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, an

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Consequence management following a release of aerosolized Bacillus anthracis spores requires a high level of technical understanding and direction. National policies and regulations address the topics of preparedness goals and organizational structure, but they do not tell responders how to perform remediation. Essential considerations include determining what must be cleaned, evaluating health risks, ascertaining the priority of cleanup, and selecting appropriate decontamination technologies to meet consensus and risk-derived clearance goals. This article highlights key features of a national-level framework that has been developed to guide a risk-based decision process and inform technical personnel of the best practices to follow during each activity leading to the restoration of functions at affected facilities or areas. The framework and associated guidance follows the scheme of 6 phases for response and recovery arrived at through interagency consensus and approval. Each phase is elaborated in a series of detailed decision flowcharts identifying key questions that must be addressed and answered from the time that first indications of a credible biological attack are received to final reoccupancy of affected areas and a return to normal daily functions.

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Section: The Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

The National Framework and Consequence Management Guidance Following a Biological Attack

Raber

Hibbard²,

Greenwalt³

2011

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, an

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“…In other words, a balance needs to be found among health concerns, safety issues, cost of cleanup, and other economic and national security issues that would arise from loss of access to facilities and resources following wide-area incident. Current policies regarding risk and clearance decisions related to B. anthracis reflect a mix of scientific, social (public perception), bureaucratic (regulatory and legal), and practical (cost and time) considerations (Raber et al 2008a).…”

Section: Risk-based Remediation Decisionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interim Consequence Management Guidance for a Wide-Area Biological Attack

Raber

Kirvel

MacQueen

et al. 2011

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“…The high environmental persistence of anthrax spores – they can survive in enclosed spaces for up to 70 years – necessitated time-consuming and expensive decontamination measures for the complete removal of these special preparations of spores [ 68 , 237 ]. The public and the users of the buildings and rooms would not have accepted even minimal levels of residual contamination [ 237 ].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is difficult to make a valid assessment of the real risks associated with anthrax exposures. There are no reliable data on the doses of airborne anthrax spores or spores on surfaces in indoor or outdoor environments which cause infections [ 237 ]. Moreover, environmental media such as soil and water may contain natural background levels of anthrax spores whose potential of infection has never been reliably assessed.…”

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confidence: 99%

Review: The risk of contracting anthrax from spore-contaminated soil – A military medical perspective

Finke¹,

Beyer

Loderstädt

et al. 2020

European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology

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AbstractAnthrax is an infectious disease of relevance for military forces. Although spores of Bacillus anthracis obiquitously occur in soil, reports on soil-borne transmission to humans are scarce. In this narrative review, the potential of soil-borne transmission of anthrax to humans is discussed based on pathogen-specific characteristics and reports on anthrax in the course of several centuries of warfare. In theory, anthrax foci can pose a potential risk of infection to animals and humans if sufficient amounts of virulent spores are present in the soil even after an extended period of time. In praxis, however, transmissions are usually due to contacts with animal products and reported events of soil-based transmissions are scarce. In the history of warfare, even in the trenches of World War I, reported anthrax cases due to soil-contaminated wounds are virtually absent. Both the perspectives and the experience of the Western hemisphere and of former Soviet Republics are presented. Based on the accessible data as provided in the review, the transmission risk of anthrax by infections of wounds due to spore-contaminated soil is considered as very low under the most circumstance. Active historic anthrax foci may, however, still pose a risk to the health of deployed soldiers.

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Remediation Following Chemical and Biological Attacks

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

The National Framework and Consequence Management Guidance Following a Biological Attack

The National Framework and Consequence Management Guidance Following a Biological Attack

Interim Consequence Management Guidance for a Wide-Area Biological Attack

Review: The risk of contracting anthrax from spore-contaminated soil – A military medical perspective

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