Whole-building decontamination of Bacillus anthracis Sterne spores by methyl bromide fumigation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the field inactivation of Bacillus anthracis Sterne spores with methyl bromide (MB) using commercial fumigation techniques.


RESULTS
Eighty-seven wood and 87 glass coupons each containing ca. 1 × 10(6) B. anthracis Sterne spores, were placed in 22 locations inside a 1444 m(3) conference building. Four additional 12-coupon sets (six wood, six glass) were removed from the building at 16, 24, 32 and 40 h during fumigation. The building was sealed under two tarpaulins and fumigated with MB at ≥225 g m(-3) mean concentration for 48 h at 28°C and 83% RH. All B. anthracis spores fumigated for more than 16 h were inactivated. A single wood coupon from the 16-h set yielded ca. 2 × 10(3)  CFU. No damage to the building or its contents was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
MB fumigation is a rapid, economical and effective whole-structure decontamination method for B. anthracis spores.


CONCLUSIONS
MB fumigation offers a method of whole-structure B. anthracis decontamination without removal of materials, damage to sensitive electronics, costly indoor retrofitting.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
S
S
Serre
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
L
L
Mickelsen
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
M W
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6544-329X
MW
Calfee
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
J P
JP
Wood
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
M S
MS
Gray
Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA.
R H
RH
Scheffrahn
Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA.
R
R
Perez
Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA.
W H
WH
Kern
CSS-Dynamac Corporation, Environmental Services, Atlanta, GA, USA.
N
N
Daniell
D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D005651:Fumigation; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*
D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C005218:methyl bromide
antibacterial; commercial fumigation; non-corrosive; sensitive materials; sporicide