Press Release

Share

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has been awarded a research program from the U.S. Army to develop a standardized firefighter field decontamination kit that includes a customized detergent.

There is currently no universal methodology for decontaminating post-incident firefighter gear, and available washing procedures are both time consuming and have yet to be proven effective. PSI is developing a detergent that is specifically formulated to eliminate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOCs). The detergent will specifically target and remove the compounds known to be the most hazardous and carcinogenic. The key innovation is the combination of three components, each individually selected to target a different contaminant class (PAHs, heavy metals and VOCs).

Application of the PSI kit and detergent will remove the majority of contaminants present in smoke, reducing the need for cumbersome machine washing. PSI’s decontamination kit will be used to treat equipment on the scene, prior to tracking of contaminants to other environments. The kit itself is simple, inexpensive, requires no additional implements, does not affect response time, and is compliant with NFPA 1851 protocols.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Dorin Preda
Group Leader, Material Technologies
dpreda@psicorp.com
Physical Sciences Inc.
Telephone: (978) 689-0003