Atmospheric pressure plasma jet technology applied to chem/bio decontamination

Summary form only given. The possibility of an attack using chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents in either a domestic terrorism or military situation has become all too real in recent history. This has been made evident by the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway and the threat of chem/bio warfare in the Persian Gulf and Korea. The U.S. has stepped up efforts in defence against these horrific agents, particularly in the areas of detection and decontamination. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) technology may provide a much needed method of CBW decontamination which, unlike traditional decon methods, is dry and nondestructive to sensitive equipment and materials. The APPJ discharge uses a high-flow feedgas consisting primarily of an inert carrier gas, such as He, and a small amount of a reactive additive, such as O/sub 2/, which flows between capacitively-coupled electrodes powered at 13.56 MHz. A nonthermal plasma formed between the electrodes generates highly reactive metastable and atomic species of oxygen through energetic electron impact. These reactive species are then directed onto a contaminated surface. The reactive effluent of the APPJ has been shown to effectively neutralize VX nerve agent as well as simulants for anthrax and mustard blister agent. Research efforts are now being directed towards reducing He consumption and increasing the allowable stand-off distance.