Peracetic acid-based disinfectant is the most appropriate solution for a biological decontamination procedure of responders and healthcare workers in the field environment.

Aims: An effective decontamination procedure of personnel wearing personal protective equipment is required by CBRN responders and healthcare workers when dealing with biological warfare agents or natural outbreaks caused by highly contagious pathogens. This study aimed to identify critical factors affecting the efficacy of peracetic acid (PAA)-based disinfectants and products containing either hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite under the same conditions.

Methods And Results: The influence of concentration, application (contact) time, erroneous human behaviour, interfering substance, technical assets and weather conditions on disinfection efficacy against Bacillus subtilis spores were assessed in 14 experimental groups.

Decontamination of CBRN units contaminated by highly contagious biological agents.

A decontamination process plays a key role in management of biological incidents. While decontamination of surfaces and buildings located in the hot zone can be usually postponed until an agent is confirmed and an adequate planning phase is established, personnel wearing personal protective equipment must be decontaminated prior to their final exit from the hot zone. Because CBRN units require the shortest possible duration of this procedure, many factors must be considered, including concentration of biological agents, precleaning, disinfectant formulae, its concentration and spectrum of efficacy, contact time, external conditions (temperature, pH, relative humidity, soil load), technical assets used for decontamination, decontaminated surface (compatibility, pores), and staff performance.