Project Grant R44FD007588

REDUCED ETO EMISSIONS TO SAFEGUARD BIOMEDICAL SUPPLY CHAINS - SUMMARY/ABSTRACT THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROTECT THE NATION'S SUPPLY CHAIN OF CRITICAL MEDICAL DEVICES THAT ARE STERILIZED USING ETHYLENE OXIDE (ETO). DESPITE THE SEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES, A LARGE FRACTION OF SINGLE-USE DEVICES IS STERILIZED WITH ETO. THESE DEVICES, INCLUDING CATHETERS, HEART VALVES, AND TRACHEOSTOMY TUBES, ARE CRITICAL TO ROUTINE AND LIFE-SAVING PROCEDURES AND THERAPIES. AS REGULATIONS FOR ETO EMISSIONS BECOME MORE STRINGENT TO PROTECT WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES FROM HARMFUL EXPOSURE, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK THAT SUPPLY CHAINS FOR CRITICAL DEVICES WILL BE DISRUPTED, IN TURN THREATENING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE NATION. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL PHOTOCATALYTIC SYSTEM TO MITIGATE ETO AT LEVELS THAT ARE HAZARDOUS BUT DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS WITH EXISTING ADSORPTIVE AND THERMAL CATALYTIC APPROACHES. SPECIFICALLY, THE TECHNOLOGY ADDRESSES CONCENTRATIONS IN THE RANGE OF 5 PPM AND BELOW IN STERILIZATION FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, AND WAREHOUSES. THESE "FUGITIVE EMISSIONS" ARE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO OVERALL EMISSIONS AND DIRECTLY IMPACT WORKERS AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE DETERMINING OPERATING CONDITIONS AT WHICH LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF ETO (