Chemical
and Biological
Defense Programs
|
Terrorists sending anthrax-contaminated packages. Militant organizations obtaining potassium cyanide. Religious cult members poisoning local residents to fix an election. Sadly, these scenarios are not the plots of the three latest bestsellers, but rather, very real incidents with a very real danger. |
|
|
Recently, concerns about biological and chemical agents have risen dramatically. These agents are relatively easy to manufacture, easy to hide, and potentially lethal to a large population. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are working to stop these types of threats. Biological and Chemical Threats For hundreds of years, biological pathogens have been used on battlefields and by terrorists. For example, anthrax-containing packages and materials have been sent to media and political figures in the United States, possibly as part of an ongoing terrorist attack. In addition, biological weapons have been used by disaffected individuals and groups, looking to further specific goals. In the 1980s, a religious cult poisoned officials and residents in The Dalles, Oregon, in an effort to manipulate a local election. Biological pathogens and outbreaks that are a part of our environment also present a serious threat to public health and regional and national economies. For example, Mad Cow Disease presents a threat to the international food supply, as well as European economies. Biological agents have not been used widely on the international scene; however, chemical agents have been used routinely, from mustard gas in World War I to the sarin attack on the Tokyo subway. Stopping the Threat: PNNL's Capabilities Because of the potential for loss of life, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Chemical and Biological Defense Program is finding ways to stop this threat. Researchers in the program focus on the whole spectrum of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. They work with other national laboratories, universities, small businesses, and manufacturers to develop detection devices, train international border guards in stopping the smuggling of key weapons components, and create decontamination devices. Detection ensures problems end before they begin. Quick and portable sensing systems capable of detecting a wide range of biological threats are critical to detecting and, hopefully, preventing releases. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, researchers are making significant strides in pathogen detection. For example, a mass spectrometry method, known as MALDI-MS or Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry, sorts and identifies the bacterial components. With this instrument, researchers are aiming for pathogen identification within five minutes. This technology could lead to advances in food safety, counterterrorism, air and water quality, as well as health care. Barbara Seiders, Chemical and Biological Defense Program manager, notes that PNNL detection technologies are not dependent on moving samples to the laboratories, saving time and money for individuals and government agencies. Training stops weapons builders at the borders. PNNL prepares military forces and emergency responders to recognize and respond to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction incidents, with emphasis on chemical and biological threats. PNNL's training approach capitalizes on the unique capabilities of U.S. Department of Energy's Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Training Center. The center offers versatile facilities, including classrooms for instruction and specialized props for realistic field-training scenarios. In partnership with HAMMER, PNNL offers military forces and emergency responders with the knowledge, tools, and background they need to be fully prepared for actual situations. Decontamination ensures problems don't continue. Because pathogens, such as the agents causing Legionnaires disease, can inhabit buildings, effective and safe decontamination techniques are needed. Traditionally, buildings are decontaminated using bleach, buckets, and brooms. However, a new fog generator being developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with Encapsulation Technologies could provide a better answer. When developed and tested, this system could release a fog of enzymes and chemicals that would degrade chemical and biological agents in a building. Because the fog can easily go into all of the same places that a cloud of chemical or biological agents could spread, this could prove to be a quicker and more effective solution. Where does it all lead? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory develop technologies to protect against biological and chemical attacks. However, these technologies extend beyond the area of biological and chemical defense. Much of the work done at the Laboratory has additional applications, such as additional screenings for the nation's blood supply, monitoring for emerging infectious diseases in public health, and, one day, maybe ensuring the safety of water supplies on the long space flights to Mars.
|
|
Contact: Barbara Seiders
Pagemaster: Kristin Manke
Reviewed: November
2001
PNNL-SA-29355
