Years of research, field evaluation and marketing have led the nonwoven wipe technology to find applications in defense, emergency response, and medical markets, says Dr Seshadri Ramkumar.
Color coded nonwoven adsorbent-absorbent wipe is part of Responder Decon Kit [RDK].
A three-layered wipe with high surface area core is part of Hybrid Decon and has become a default technology to clean up toxins and wipe away micro sized particles.
A recent U.S. Army report showed that dry wipe functions effectively in sub-zero temperatures and the technology has been field tested in Alaska.
Fredericksburg-based First Line Technology [FLT] has the RDK in the market which can be used stand alone or with chemical formulation depending upon the situation and needs. Results have shown that where skin decontamination of toxic chemicals and micro sized particles are needed, dry decontamination is a viable method.
Years of research, field evaluation and marketing have led the nonwoven wipe technology to find applications in defense, emergency response, and medical markets.
In laboratory experiments, the three-layered FiberTect wipe showed decontamination efficiency between 78 per cent to 95 per cent. In cold temperatures as low as 50 F, toxin removal (or reduction) efficiency was as high as 94 per cent even at high concentration of 10 g/m2.
RDK has three wipes which are color coded enabling user-friendly environment. Red coded wipes are to be used during the start of decontamination, yellow coded wipes are to be used to clean face and neck, and final decon should be conducted with a larger wipe coded in green. This kit can be used in mass casualty scenarios and is safe on skin.
Dry wipe offers advantages such as skin friendliness and long shelf life as high as 15 years.
With the 2026 FIFA world cup, co-hosted by the United States, emergency management agencies are preparing well for combating mass casualties, and hybrid decontamination with dry wipe as an integral component has a vital role to play.
FiberTect is a model for translating laboratory research to save lives and enabling applications in emergency management and protecting people in huge gatherings such as world cup games.
About the author:
Dr Seshadri Ramkumar is a Professor, Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory in Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA. You can contact him on Email: s.ramkumar@ttu.edu