Bleach, decontamination with

Animals can be decontaminated with shampoo/soap and water, or a 0.5% household bleach solution (see Section 1.5). If the animals eyes have been exposed to agent, they should be irrigated with water or saline solution for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

Small areas Ventilate to remove the vapors. If condensation is present, decontaminate with copious amounts of undiluted household bleach (see Section 3.5.3.1). Allow it to stand for a minimum of 5 minutes before rinsing with water. Collect and place into containers lined with high-density polyethylene. Removal of porous material, including painted surfaces,... 

Remove all clothing and personal effects and decontaminate with soap and water. Do not use bleach or detergents containing bleach as they may interact with agents to produce toxic decomposition products. 

Effect of Decontamination with Bleach and Water or with Soap Solution and Water at Varioua Intervale after Skin Application of ChT at 1.0 ml/kg to Nonreatrained Beagles ... 

Decontamination with soap and water or. 5% solution of bleach and water. British-Anti-Lewisite (BAL) for Lewisite. 

Chloride of lime may also be employed for decontamination of the skin. In this case the violence of the reaction should be reduced by mixing the bleaching powder with water (i part of water to i part of chloride of lime) or with magnesium oxide. ... 

Although experts have historically recommended dilute bleach (0.5% sodium hypochlorite) for skin decontamination, with the exception of Lewisite and liquid nerve agent-exposed patients (see following discussion), this recommendation no longer stands for several reasons (7,8) ... 

Small Areas Ventilation. In heavily contaminated areas, decontamination with a fresh solution of HTH pool bleach in denatured alcohol (approximately 9 percent by weight) followed by decontamination with copious amounts of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (a minimum of 10 percent by weight). Vigorous off-gassing may occur during this process. Removal of porous material, including painted surfaces, that may have absorbed Nerve Agent vapor may be required as these materials could continue to re-release vapor after exposure has ceased. 

Small Areas Decontaminate with copious amounts of full strength household bleach. Removal of porous material, including painted surfaces, that may have absorbed Arsenical Vesicant vapor may be required as these materials could continue to re-release vapor after exposure has ceased. 

Small Areas Decontamination may not be required. If deemed appropriate, wash all exposed surfaces with soap and water. If more extensive decontamination is desired, fumigate with disinfectant gas or aerosol (e.g., formaldehyde). Follow fumigation with a wash of all surfaces employing a disinfectant such as household bleach. Rinse with water. 

Decontamination of conventional wounds in a contaminated environment continues to be a major concern. Researchers have looked at the effect of bleach decontamination on damaged skin exposed to CWAs. Gold et al. (1994) evaluated the effects of water or diluted bleach (0.5%) as a wound decontaminant 2 min after hairless guinea pig was exposed to sulfur mustard. The study found that 0.5% hypochlorite and even water soaking for 5 min in a wound contaminated with sulfur mustard (20 mg/kg) cause greater necrosis than when no decontamination was carried out. This does not mean that the wound should not be decontaminated but rather that bleach soaking in the wound is not the route to decontaminant. 

Hobson and Snider (1992) evaluated the effectiveness of hypochlorite solutions in decontaminating rabbit intact skin and wounds exposed to VX or sulfur mustard. When the intact skin was decontaminated with bleach at 5% or 0.5% hypochlorite concentrations 1 min after sulfur mustard exposure, lesion areas were reduced by 4.6- and 4.3-fold, respectively. For VX-contaminated intact skin, 5% and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite increased the median lethal dose of VX by 19- and 16-fold, respectively. The results indicate that 0.5 % bleach is as effective as 5 % in decontaminating sulfur mustard and VX on intact skin. However, when VX was applied to a wound site, the 0.5% bleach was not effective in increasing survival rate, whereas 5% bleach increased the median lethal dose 2-fold. 

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