This research will determine extent and nature of the neutralization of bacterial spores when they are exposed, for very short times to high temperatures, pressures, and chemicals important in Agent Defeat weapons.. An exposure system will be constructed capable of providing the ultra-short exposure times (on the order of ms) that are characteristic of bomb explosions and will be capable of exposing bacterial spores to temperatures up to 1,200 K and to pressures up to 5 bar. Modeling of the flows will be used to specify an array of tube dimensions and applied pressures to achieve the desired set of reaction conditions. The sample injection system will ensure rapid and uniform injection of spores without exposing them to high temperatures prior to injection. Collection will utilize a design that will ensure efficient collection with rapid cooling of collected samples. The test biological threat agent simulant will be spores of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).The extent of neutralization will be evaluated on the basis of change in viability using conventional microbiological assay as well as from methods designed to rescue damaged, but not killed, spores. In addition, the mechanisms by which inactivation occurs will be sought using special biochemical analyses.
Benefits: This research will aid optimization of heat-based agent defeat weapons through generation of a predictive tool for biowarfare agent inactivation. Improvement of hot air sterilization for medical or other purposes will be possible using this data.
Keywords: Agent Defeat, neutralization, spore, incineration, thermal, inactivation, Bt, HTI
