Decontamination of chemical and biological warfare, (CBW) agents using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ)

The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) [A. Schutze et al., IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 26, 1685 (1998)] is a nonthermal, high pressure, uniform glow p lasma discharge that produces a high velocity effluent stream of highly rea ctive chemical species. The discharge operates on a feedstock gas (e.g., He /O-2/H2O), which flows between an outer, grounded, cylindrical electrode an d an inner, coaxial electrode powered at 13.56 MHz rf. While passing throug h the plasma, the feedgas becomes excited, dissociated or ionized by electr on impact. Once the gas exits the discharge volume, ions and electrons are rapidly lost by recombination, but the fast-flowing effluent still contains neutral metastable species (e.g., O-2*, He*) and radicals (e. g., O, OH). This reactive effluent has been shown to be an effective neutralizer of sur rogates for anthrax spores and mustard blister agent. Unlike conventional w et decontamination methods, the plasma effluent does not cause corrosion an d it does not destroy wiring, electronics, or most plastics, making it high ly suitable for decontamination of sensitive equipment and interior spaces. Furthermore, the reactive species in the effluent rapidly degrade into har mless products leaving no lingering residue or harmful by-products. (C) 199 9 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(99)91405-2].