Nanoenergetic composite based on I2O5/Al for biological agent defeat

The risk of bioterrorism events involving the intentional airborne release of contagious agents has led to development of new approaches for bio agent defeat technologies both indoors and outdoors. This report describes nanoenergetic gas generators (NGG) system that exhibit long term stability and superior release of biocidal substances for destruction of pathogenic bacteria. The effect of iodine vaporization on destroying of Escherichia coli (E-coli, HB101 K-12 strain) by using expressing Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) was investigated. HB101 K-12 has been genetically modified to prevent its growth unless grown on an enriched medium. To obtain quantitative data we used pGLO transformation of bacteria with a gene that codes for GFP. Following the transformation procedure, the bacteria express their newly acquired jellyfish gene and produce the fluorescent protein which causes them to glow a bright green color under ultraviolet light. The experimental results revealed that increasing concentration of deposited iodine up to 20 ug/m2 the iodine totally destroyed the entire E-coli colonies. These behavioral features of the Al/I2O5 nanothermite mixture offer both a thermal event and release of biocidal agent (atomic iodine) useful in destroying detrimental biological materials. The study has shown that I2O5/Al nanosystem is extremely effective to sterilize harmful biological agents such (E-coli) bacteria in seconds