Chapter 9 - Protective equipment for protection against biological warfare agents

Abstract

The threat of biological warfare agents (BWAs) is a serious global concern and history has witnessed the use of BWAs from World War I to the recent “anthrax letters” attack soon after World Trade Center attack of September 2001. Technological advancements in the field of microbiology and genetic engineering have made it possible to create extremely dangerous BWAs. Indeed, these horrific events have led to dramatic increases in the level of awareness of protection against BWAs. Exposure to BWAs may occur in several ways; it may enter the body through the respiratory tract, mucous membranes, or skin. The toxicity and level of protection are determined by the mechanism of exposure and the route of entry of the specific agent. Available protective equipment includes respiratory protective devices fitted with HEPA filters, full face protective masks and surgical masks for respiratory protection, protective suits, protective gloves and overboots for skin protection. A HEPA and ULPA based filter respirator along with body protection is needed for protection against undetectable BWA attack. Furthermore, tactically important assets such as command and control centers can also be protected continuously by collective protective equipment including air filtration systems composed of impregnated carbon and HEPA layers (modular collective protection equipment). Furthermore, in developed countries, vaccinations are also available for some of the BWAs, such as anthrax, botulism, and plague. The vaccines and antibiotics can provide backup protection against an unexpected BWA attack during a period when the respirator is not in use or malfunctions. Awareness, well-planned training, and BWA defense with appropriate individual protective equipment can decrease the likelihood of casualties from a potential BWA attack. This chapter gives an overview of the individual and collective protection and its recent trends along with latest developments of various protective devices for respiratory and body protection. Finally, we also discuss the future prospects and opportunities that will enable new and intelligent multifunctional protective equipment or smart second skin equipped with everything, from navigation, detection, and self-detoxification to climate control for catering to handle a vast, unanticipated situation with unknown BWA threat.