Prototype Singlet Delta Oxygen Decontamination Device For Aircraft Cargo Interior

A prototype portable decontamination device which delivers high concentrations and fluxes of molecular singlet delta oxygen (SDO) for decontaminating aircraft interiors is proposed. The decontamination system will: • Project a high flow rate of pure singlet delta oxygen in a nitrogen gas flow – no other active oxygen or nitrogen species are present, • Quickly and permanently destroy CBW agents on a surface or in the air, • Have universal utility so the specific chemical or biological agent need not be known – benign chemical products are produced from the chemical agents, • Be non-aqueous, non-flammable, non-corrosive, • Penetrate into structural recesses for non-line-of-sight decontamination, and • Have minimal lifetime so there is no hazard to personnel. We will evaluate direct optical and photosensitizer methods that use light and not plasmas or chemical means to generate SDO. The effectiveness of SDO as an effective decontaminant for chemical and biological agents and the suitability of the proposed system for use to decontaminate aircraft interiors are explained and compared with other technologies. The results of the SBIR Phase I project and Phase II development plans are described. The goal is to reach deployable decontamination rates of 1 to 5 m2/min.