Chlorine Dioxide Decontamination System and Methods

Abstract

A scalable, portable and modular chlorine dioxide fumigant decontamination system having an activating area and a neutralizing area which may be housed separately or as a single operationally connected unit, and which may be configured as a closed loop system connected to a decontamination chamber for decontamination of articles, or as an open loop system for decontamination of interiors and large confined spaces, and employing a specialized activating cup that is permeable to air yet substantially impermeable to water and chlorine dioxide reaction by-products such that directing air through the activation cup releases nearly pure chlorine dioxide fumigant. Methods and articles relating to the system are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing decontamination, comprising:
 an activation chamber having an air/gas inlet and an air/gas outlet; and   an activator comprising a first air/gas blower adapted to blow air/gas through the activation chamber between the air/gas inlet and the air/gas outlet;   wherein the activation chamber is adapted to contain an activation pouch exposed to the air/gas blown between the air/gas inlet and the air/gas outlet;   wherein the activation pouch is adapted to receive and hold water and a reagent to generate a ClO 2  gas and to release the ClO 2  gas into the air/gas blown between the air/gas inlet and the air/gas outlet as a decontamination fumigant for providing the decontamination.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation chamber and the activator comprise a single unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a first sealable enclosure comprising a first interior space adapted to contain an item and an air/gas inlet port in fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber to receive the decontamination fumigant to decontaminate the item. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first sealable enclosure is portable. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first sealable enclosure is comprised of a flexible material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising a first conduit coupled between the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber and the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising a first conduit coupled between the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber and the item through the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first sealable enclosure comprises an air/gas outlet port in fluid communication with the first air/gas blower to return the decontamination fumigant to the air/gas blower. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , comprising a neutralizing area that is adapted to receive and neutralize the decontamination fumigant, wherein the neutralizing area is in fluid communication with the air/gas outlet port of the first sealable enclosure to receive the decontamination fumigant, and is in fluid communication with the first air/gas blower to provide neutralized decontamination fumigant. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising a second sealable enclosure having a second interior space adapted to contain the first sealable enclosure and an air/gas inlet port in fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber to deliver the decontamination fumigant to decontaminate the first sealable enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising a second air/gas blower in fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber and the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to decontaminate the item. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising a first conduit coupled between the second air/gas blower and the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  comprising a first conduit coupled between the second air/gas blower and the item through the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising a second sealable enclosure having a second interior space adapted to contain the first sealable enclosure and an air/gas inlet port in fluid communication with the second air/gas blower to deliver the decontamination fumigant to decontaminate the first sealable enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using the system of  claim 3 , comprising:
 introducing the activation pouch in the activation chamber;   introducing the water and the reagent into the activation pouch to generate the ClO 2  gas;   sealing the item in the first sealable enclosure;   operating the first air/gas blower to blow the air/gas between the air/gas inlet and the air/gas outlet and release the ClO 2  gas into the air/gas as the decontamination fumigant;   bringing the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber; and   delivering the decontamination fumigant to the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to decontaminate the item.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein bringing the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber comprises coupling a first conduit between the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber and the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein bringing the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber comprises coupling a first conduit between the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber and the item through the air/gas inlet port of the first sealable enclosure to deliver the decontamination fumigant to the item. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first sealable package comprises an air/gas outlet port, and wherein the method comprises bringing the air/gas outlet port of the first sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the air/gas blower to return the decontamination fumigant to the air/gas blower. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the system comprises a neutralizing area that is adapted to receive and neutralize the decontamination fumigant and that is in fluid communication with the first air/gas blower; and wherein the method comprises bringing the air/gas outlet port of the first sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the neutralizing area to provide the decontamination fumigant to the neutralizing area and neutralized decontamination fumigant to the air/gas blower. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 sealing the first sealable enclosure in a second sealable enclosure having an air/gas inlet port;   bringing the air/gas inlet port of the second sealable enclosure into fluid communication with the air/gas outlet of the activation chamber; and   delivering the decontamination fumigant to the air/gas inlet port of the second sealable enclosure to decontaminate the first sealable enclosure.   
     
     
         21 . A method of using the system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 introducing the activation pouch in the activation chamber;   introducing the water and the reagent into the activation pouch to generate the ClO 2  gas; and   operating the first air/gas blower to blow the air/gas between the air/gas inlet and the air/gas outlet and release the ClO 2  gas into the air/gas as the decontamination fumigant for providing the decontamination.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the activation chamber has a second air/gas inlet for receiving a flow of air;   the activation pouch has an opening; and   the second air/gas inlet is adapted to direct the flow of air into the opening of the activation pouch for agitating the mixture of the reagent and water.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation pouch is portable and disposable. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation pouch comprises a material that is substantially permeable to air and gas and substantially impermeable to water and ClO 2  gas generating reaction by-products. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation pouch comprises:
 a pouch body configured to have an expandable opening and an expandable interior volume adapted to retain the mixture of the reagent and water; and   a support plate adapted to receive and retain the pouch body and to cause the opening and interior volume to expand.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the pouch body comprises a unitary piece of flexible material. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the activation chamber is adapted to receive and retain the support plate with the activation pouch suspended in the activation chamber.