Decontamination
Written by Anam Hussain
Definition:
Decontamination can be defined as the process of removing or neutralising contaminants that have accumulated on personnel and equipment, so that they no longer exist. It includes all activities performed in order to eradicate contaminants with potential to cause harm to an individual human and society as a whole.
The process of decontamination is performed using different methods including: mechanical, physical, physicochemical and chemical etc. Depending on what contaminant is to be removed, there are 3 main types of decontamination:
- Disinfection: all processes targeted at eradicating biohazards
- Digassation: process of neutralising and removing the chemical pollutant
- Disactivation: procedures for eradicating radioactive threat
- Others: Disinsection (eradicating insects by mechanical- high temperature and chemical- insecticides methods), Deratization (procedure involved in biohazard prevention and measures against rodents e.g. use of traps (mechanical) or use of poisonous food (chemical))
Decontamination can also be classified based on what has to be decontaminated: Human or environment.
Human Decontamination (HUDECONT) is the process of removing hazardous materials from the human body, including chemicals, radioactive substances and infectious bio-agents. HUDECONT is divided into partial or complete depending on the treated areas of human body.
Type of decontamination used takes into consideration following factors:
- Place of performance: whether inside or out, decision is made on amount of decontamination performed
- Time of contamination- important for deciding time and amount of decontamination performed
- Number, preparedness and equipment of rescuers entering the AOD
- Type of pollution (radiological, chemical, biological or combined)- this is the most important factor.
Partial HUDECONT in case of radiological pollution:
- Consists of mechanical removal or radioactive substances from exposed body parts e.g. hands, face, eyes, neck, nose and mouth
- Has to be performed ASAP, immediately after irradiation
- It is the first step of casualty management in AOD
- Has to be repeated immediately after leaving contaminated AOD, in areas specially designated for decontamination
- When casualties have spontaneously evacuated themselves, so partial decontamination takes place outside the AOD; it acts as the first step of complete decontamination and precedes it.
- Can be performed by population itself as buddy aid, self-aid, mutual assistance, or by search and rescue teams
- Partial HUDECONT of exposed body parts in case of contamination by radioactive substances has to be performed in a strict order
- Brushing off radioactive dust covering the skin
- Washing hands, face and neck with clean water. If detergent available use that
- Removing dirt under nails