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Standard method for deposition of dry, aerosolized, silica‐coated B acillus spores onto inanimate surfaces
Author(s) -
Harnish D.,
Heimbuch B.K.,
McDonald M.,
Kinney K.,
Dion M.,
Stote R.,
Rastogi V.,
Smith L.,
Wallace L.,
Lumley A.,
SchreuderGibson H.,
Wander J.D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.12509
Subject(s) - aerosolization , spore , bacillus anthracis , deposition (geology) , coefficient of variation , aerosol , chromatography , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental science , chemistry , biology , bacteria , paleontology , genetics , anatomy , sediment , inhalation , organic chemistry
Aims To evaluate a standard aerosolization method for uniformly depositing threat‐representative spores onto surfaces. Methods and Results Lyophilized B acillus anthracis ΔSterne spores, coated in silica, were aerosolized into a containment chamber and deposited onto nine surface types by two independent laboratories. Laboratory A produced a mean loading concentration of 1·78 × 10 5 CFU cm −2 ; coefficient of variation ( CV ) was <40% for 96% of samples. Laboratory B produced a mean loading concentration of 7·82 × 10 6 CFU cm −2 ; 68% of samples demonstrated CV <40%. Conclusions This method has been shown to meet the goal of loading threat‐representative spores onto surfaces with low variability at concentrations relevant to the Department of Defense. Significance and Impact of the Study As demonstrated in 2001, a biological attack using anthrax disseminated as a dry powder is a credible threat. This method will provide a means to load spores onto surfaces that mimic a ‘real‐world’ scenario of an aerosolized anthrax attack. The method has utility for evaluating sporicidal technologies and for nondecontamination studies, for example fate and transport or reaerosolization.