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  Research Highlights

Spray-Applied Sporicidal Decontamination Technology Evaluation

This document does not constitute nor should be construed as an EPA endorsement of any particular product, service, or technology.

As part of EPA’s Office of Research and Development, the National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) rigorously tests technologies against a wide range of performance characteristics, requirements, and specifications under the Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP). The TTEP provides reliable data regarding the performance of commercially available technologies that may have application for homeland security.

The technology categories of interest include detection, monitoring, treatment, decontamination, and computer modeling. Stakeholder involvement, extensive quality assurance, and peer review are integral to the success of the program.

This report presents high quality performance data for the spray-applied sporicidal technologies that were evaluated for their effectiveness in decontamination of surfaces contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores and potential surrogates. Test coupons typical of surfaces found in a building were selected for the study. The liquid sporicidal technologies evaluated were:

  • pH-Amended Bleach (Clorox® amended/diluted with acetic acid and water)
  • CASCAD™ Surface Decontamination Foam (Allen-Vanguard)
  • DeconGreen (Edgewood Chemical Biological Center)
  • DioxiGuard (Frontier Pharmaceutical)
  • EasyDecon 200 (Envirofoam Technologies)
  • Exterm-6 (ClorDiSys Solutions)
  • HI-Clean 605 (Howard Industries)
  • HM-4100 (Biosafe) KlearWater (Disinfection Technology)
  • Peridox (Clean Earth Technologies)
  • Selectrocide (BioProcess Associates)

Coupons were spiked with Bacillus anthracis Ames – and in separate tests, one or more of the following: B. anthracis Sterne, B. subtilis (ATCC 19659), and Geobacillus stearothermophilus (ATCC 12980).

Testing was performed using a spray application test apparatus and according to procedures outlined in the peer-reviewed quality assurance test plan (separate document also available on the NHSRC Web site).

The decontamination efficacy results varied by technology, bacterial spore specie, and coupon material. Porous materials were the most difficult to decontaminate. Following the evaluation testing, the technology vendors were given the opportunity to review and comment on the results.

See Also
Technology Evaluation Report: Evaluation of Spray-Applied Sporicidal Decontamination Technologies (PDF) (72 pp, 1.67 MB) (EPA/600/R-06/146) September 2006
Test/QA Plan: Evaluating Liquid and Foam Sporicidal Spray Decontaminants (PDF) (57 pp, 7.2 MB) (EPA/600/R-06/066) March 2006

Contact: Joe Wood

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