Destruction of Bacillus anthracis strain Sterne 34F2 spores in postal envelopes by exposure to electron beam irradiation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the irradiation dose necessary to reduce the populations of Bacillus anthracis spores in a dry medium in postal envelopes.


RESULTS
Bacillus anthracis Sterne 34F2 spores were dispersed in non-fat dry milk and then placed into standard business postal envelopes. The spores were treated with a sequence of irradiation doses to determine the decimal reduction value (D10) in kiloGrays (kGy). The average D10 value was 3.35 +/- 0.02 kGy.


CONCLUSIONS
An irradiation dose of 40.2 kGy would be required to result in a process equivalent to the thermal canning process (12 D10 reduction) to eliminate Clostridium botulinum spores.


CONCLUSIONS
Irradiation is an effective means of reducing or eliminating B. anthracis spores in a dry medium in postal envelopes.
Niebuhr
S E
SE
Department of Microbiology, 207 Science I, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Dickson
J S
JS
D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011177:Postal Service; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000528:radiation effects