Fibertect wipes cleaning up toxins

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) currently uses a powdered decontaminant called M-291 to clean up toxins, such as the nerve gas soman, a volatile, corrosive and colorless liquid. Then the Journal of Engineered Fibers & Fabrics published research by Texas Tech University comparing M-291 to Fibertect®, a nonwoven decontamination wipe created at the university and manufactured by First Line Technology, Chantilly, Va. Fibertect consists of two nonwoven cotton layers with carbon in between. The wipe was more effective in cleaning up a chemical surrogate to soman and absorbed its vapors five times better than the powdered decontaminant. The DoD is phasing out M-291.