Low-Cost Personal Decontamination System (LPDS™)

First responders face, either as a calculated terrorist act or as an accidental release, a wide range of chemical threats, including chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals. To deal with this largely unknown threat, responders require a flexible and broad-spectrum decontamination system. Self-decontamination with a small kit is the only feasible alternative for personal decontamination when thousands of people are victimized in a large public venue. For quick-acting agents, such as nerve agents, a kit must be pre-positioned and reachable within seconds of an alarm. Low-pressure water washes are not feasible for quickly decontaminating large numbers of victims. RSDL™ (Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion), originally developed by Defence R&D Canada, is a patented, broad-spectrum skin decontamination product for personal use after exposure to certain nerve agents, blister agents, and vesicating toxins. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed the Low-cost Personal Decontamination System (LPDS™), which improves on RSDL for personal decontamination. LPDS combines the nearly universal efficacy of solid sorbents with the penetrating nature of the RSDL. The LPDS requires no water and minimizes the risk of thermal burns and toxic vapor hazards. The system is small, easily pre-positioned, and can be distributed in large numbers. Requests for additional information should be sent to cbrncsubgroup@tswg.gov.