Biocidal Textiles for Soldier Protection and Homeland Defense

Protection against biological warfare is a key military and civilian requirement strongly substantiated by recent events in the U.S. and around the world. This newly defined market has significant national defense implications. Protective clothing worn by United States military personnel can be contaminated by exposure to external bio-warfare agents or bacterial contamination from the skin. Bacteria grow very quickly on fabrics. It is desirable to have protective clothing that will destroy or deactivate the bio-warfare agent on contact. The BIOSAFE Phase I study validated ongoing research in the area of biocidal materials immobilized on cotton textiles. A commercially available quaternary ammonium biocide was successfully incorporated into a textile by utilizing a patented polymeric interpenetrating network process. The effectiveness of the biocide toward species defined as bioterrorism agents was demonstrated. A major benefit of the BIOSAFE approach is that the antimicrobial already has EPA pesticide label approval The Phase II project will continue the investigation of bonding the antimicrobial with textiles in combination with additional surface treatments. The biocidal coating will have significantly enhanced efficacy and be resistant to degradation from laundering wear. The technology will be effective against Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) spores and other bioterror species.