Abstract
Abstract
Objective: To provide specific procedural guidance and resources for identification, assessment, control, and mitigation of compounds that may contaminate human remains resulting from chemical attack or release.
Design: A detailed technical, policy, and regulatory review is summarized.
Setting: Guidance is suitable for civilian or military settings where human remains potentially contaminated with hazardous chemicals may be present. Settings would include sites of transportation accidents, natural disasters, terrorist or military operations, mortuary affairs or medical examiner processing and decontamination points, and similar.
Patients, Participants: While recommended procedures have not been “validated” with actual human remains, guidance has been developed from data characterizing controlled experiments with fabrics, materiel, and laboratory animals.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Presentation of logic and specific procedures for remains management, protection and decontamination of mortuary affairs personnel, as well as decision criteria for determining when remains are sufficiently decontaminated so as to pose no chemical health hazard.
Results: Established procedures and existing equipment/materiel available for decontamination and verification provide appropriate and reasonable means to mitigate chemical hazards from remains. Extensive characterization of issues related to remains decontamination indicates that supra-lethal concentrations of liquid chemical warfare agent VX may prove difficult to decontaminate and verify in a timely fashion. Specialized personnel can and should be called upon to assist with monitoring necessary to “clear” decontaminated remains for transport and processing.
Conclusions: Once appropriate decontamination and verification have been accomplished, normal procedures for remains processing and transport to the decedent’s family and the continental United States can be followed.