Biological weapons agent defeat using directed microwave energy

Summary form only given. A synergistic, molecularly targeted microwave approach has demonstrated unprecedented kill of a broad range of biological weapons agents (BWA) using directed microwave energy in conjunction with a specially designed chemical compound called a TPAC. The BWAs are first treated with the TPAC compound, a process that only takes a few moments, and then exposed to the microwaves. Using this synergistic approach, significant kill of the BWAs is achieved using standard microwave equipment at moderate powers (< 1 MW peak and only a few hundred watts average) and exposure levels (/spl sim/ few joules). This method is so effective and broad ranged that total kill is achieved on vegetative bacilli and spores and vegetative growth anthracis and an unprecedented 5.5 out of a total of 6 logs of kill is achieved on anthrax type spores, the hardest BWA to defeat. To put the anthrax kill rate in perspective, of the approximately one million spores exposed to the microwaves in a given sample only three survived, even though the spores were given every opportunity to grow after RF irradiation. The TPAC compound consists of two components, a transduction-polymer (TP) and an acceptor-chromophore (AC), that work in conjunction to produce BWA defeat. The AC molecule is designed so that it easily penetrates the wall of the BWA and binds to surface matrix targets. Upon microwave exposure, the TP emits a blue photon that activates-the AC producing saturated levels of chemical radicals that are irreversibly bound to the target spore wall, resulting in lethal failure of the spore upon germination. The TP molecule is resonant and thus responds to a given microwave frequency better than others. Its effectiveness also depends upon the rise-time and width of the RF pulse. With optimization of the RF pulse and frequency, total kill of even anthrax spores is expected.