Encapsulated Biocidal Coatings for Decontamination of HVAC Systems

Current technologies used for neutralization of biological warfare agents (BWA) can be effective to clean exposed facilities, however have major obstacles. Following the anthrax mail scare in 2001, certain buildings and offices were closed for months pending cleanup. To neutralize these sites, poisonous chlorine dioxide gas was pumped through building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for about nine hours, followed by another four hours removing the gas from the system. It was estimated that up to $1 billion was spend on the decontamination effort. New methods need to be developed that can decontaminate immediately upon detection of agent detection to eliminate this health, time, and cost burden. Luna Innovations proposes to develop a novel encapsulated biocidal coating that will be able to deliver on-demand biocides to neutralize spores, bacteria, and viruses within seconds of detection. This technology will ensure the protection of personnel and increase the readiness of buildings and other facilities after a biological attack.