Evaluation of Malathion, DIMP, and Strawberry Furanone as CWA Simulants for Consideration in Field-Level Interior Building Remediation Exercises.

Field-level exercises with the purpose to assess remediation following the deliberate release of a highly toxic chemical in an indoor environment can be conducted using low(er) toxicity simulants if they are closely linked to the behavior of the toxic chemical itself. Chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants have been identified on their suitability based on chemical structural similarities and associated physical and chemical properties. However, there are no reported studies that combine measurement of simulant parameters like persistence on surfaces, ability to sample for, and capability to degrade during the decontamination phase such that the level of success of a field-level exercise can be quantified.

Evaluating wipe sampling parameters to assess method performance and data confidence during remediation of hazardous pesticide misuse chemicals on indoor materials.

Pesticide misuse incidents are reported worldwide each year. The potential exposure to pesticides creates a concern for occupants in affected homes, apartments, and other occupied buildings. Pesticides that are improperly applied within these locations may require remediation prior to reoccupation.

Determining Viral Disinfection Efficacy of Hot Water Laundering.

This protocol provides an example of a laboratory process for conducting laundering studies that generate data on viral disinfection. While the protocol was developed for research during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is intended to be a framework, adaptable to other virus disinfection studies; it demonstrates the steps for preparing the test virus, inoculating the test material, assessing visual and integrity changes to the washed items due to the laundering process, and quantifying the reduction in viral load. Additionally, the protocol outlines the necessary quality control samples for ensuring the experiments are not biased by contamination and measurements/observations that should be recorded to track the material integrity of the personal protective equipment (PPE) items after multiple laundering cycles.

Remediating Indoor Pesticide Contamination from Improper Pest Control Treatments: Persistence and Decontamination Studies.

The improper and excessive use of pesticides in indoor environments can result in adverse human health effects, sometimes necessitating decontamination of residential or commercial buildings. A lack of information on effective approaches to remediate pesticide residues prompted the decontamination and persistence studies described in this study. Decontamination studies evaluated the effectiveness of liquid-based surface decontaminants against pesticides on indoor surfaces.