Sensor Systems for Biological Agent Attacks Protecting Buildings and Military Bases (2005) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Background and Overview
1 Background and Overview
Pages 7-12
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From page 7... ...
The anthrax letter attacks in 2001, in which the dissemination of a few grams of Bacillus anthracis spores in mailed envelopes resulted in the infection of 23 Americans and the death of 5, heightened Americans' sense of vulnerability—particularly coming as they did less than a month after the overwhelming attacks on the World Trade Center, in which nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. In future events involving biological agents, early detection of an infectious agent cloud and early identification of individuals exposed will help to save lives.
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From page 8... ...
4. To the extent that the maturity of the above sensor and sampling technologies allows, identify critical materials, manufacturing technologies, and system design issues required to fabricate, validate, deploy, and support these sensor systems in diverse environments and enable the systems to meet requirements for low false alamm rates, low cost, compact size, light weight, low maintenance, and low power.
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From page 9... ...
Such detectors are likely to have a somewhat slower response than nonspecific detectors and must be preprogrammed to respond to anticipated biological threats. · Confimmation of the presence of specific types of biological agents.
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From page 10... ...
The route of exposure considered in this report is assumed to be inhalation of aerosolized agents rather than skin exposure, contamination of food or water, or vectorbome transmission, because aerosols are likely to be the quickest and most effective means of exposing large numbers of people in the attack scenarios considered. Aerosol particles between 1 and 10 micrometers are generally considered to be the most efficient for respiration into the human lung; however, the committee considered aerosols with particles as large as 30 micrometers because these larger particles can remain suspended in air for considerable times and are still reasonably effective in causing infection.
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From page 11... ...
Given the finite nature of enclosed spaces, minimal ambient ultnaviolet light, and rontnalled air movement, a building will genenally be an easier tanget than any open space. This conclusion is consistent with the experience of the anthrax letters, in which a small quantity of spores contained in a few envelopes resulted in exposure to personnel and required decontamination of several large office buildings and mailhandling facilities.
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From page 12... ...
The analysis and balancing of these major defensive components is as essential as the pursuit of the promising detectionbased architectures addressed in this report. CONCLUDING THOUGHTS Although the United States could some day be faced with such ~designer' agents as bacteria containing genes coded for new vinulence factors, vinuses designed to target cell populations that they ignore in nature, or small, bioactive natural molecules not currently on any threat list, many of the principles discussed in this report will still apply 50 years from now.
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