Biological-Warfare Agent Decontamination Efficacy Testing: Large-Scale Chamber mVHP (Trademark) Decontamination System Evaluation for Biological Contamination

摘要

The STERIS Vaporous Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP (Trademark)) technology has been used for more than a decade to sterilize pharmaceutical processing equipment and clean rooms. Through a joint partnership, the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) and STERIS Corporation Inc., a subsidiary of Strategic Technology Enterprises (STE), began the process to co-develop a modified VHP (mVHP) capable of biological and chemical decontamination. Significant improvements have been made through a series of laboratory, chamber- scale, and large-scale efforts. The primary objective of this test was to determine the mVHP system's ability to decontaminate biological-warfare agent contamination on operationally relevant materials. The decontamination efficacy was compared to the Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) stated in the Operational Requirements Document (ORD) for Joint Platform Interior Decontamination (JPID). The decontamination efficacy was compared also to the KPPs stated in the ORD for Joint Service Sensitive Equipment Decontamination (JSSED). The tests were performed between October 2005 and March 2006 in the Engineering Directorate large-scale chambers at ECBC, APG, MD. The results for the biological agent and surrogate studies are presented in this report.