Chemical and biological warfare agents are continuing threats to the military on the battlefield as well as to civilians in the form of terrorist attacks. When material becomes contaminated with these agents, it must be decontaminated before it can be used or disposed of, and the extent of decontamination required will depend on the intended use.
This book is a comprehensive overview of the scientific research and development that has been done chemical and biological agent decontamination technology in the US military. It begins with a section on the background of decontamination, which includes a chronological history of military research, an overview of the US Department of Defense decontamination principles and requirements, and a chapter that acts as a primer on chemical and biological warfare agents. The main section on decontamination science covers a number of different areas of research, describing different types of decontaminants and their applications. Finally, the development of future decontamination systems is covered, which looks at developmental and emerging technologies.
Providing a broad perspective on this complex topic, this book is a one-stop reference for researchers who want to appreciate the different aspects of chemical and biological agent decontamination, understand the technologies involved, as well as review the false starts and the promising areas for ongoing and future research. It is an essential resource for government and industry policy-makers and novice or more experienced personnel working in the decontamination field.
George O. Bizzigotti (deceased) received his AB and PhD degrees in Chemistry from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Bizzigotti was a Senior Principal Scientist within the Noblis Center for National Security and Intelligence in Virginia. He had extensive experience in the chemistry and monitoring of chemical warfare agents.
Richard P. Rhoads received his BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University in Philadelphia and his Professional Masters in Environmental Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Virginia. Mr. Rhoads is a Project Manager within the Noblis National Security and Intelligence mission area, where he has managed and contributed to multiple decontamination projects for Noblis over the past ten years.
Stephen J. Lee received his BS degree in Chemistry from Millsaps College in Mississippi and his PhD in Chemistry from Emory University in Georgia. Dr. Lee is the Chief Scientist at the US Army Research Office in North Carolina and is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is responsible for advocating science and engineering basic research across the Army.
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