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CLEANTHRAX™ is a revolutionary new outlook on the current problem of
decontaminating Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) spores. This technology is
based on US patent #6656919, issued December 2, 2003, entitled “A METHOD AND
A PRODUCT FOR THE RAPID DECONTAMINATION AND STERILIZATION OF BACTERIAL
ENDOSPORES”.
CLEANTHRAX™ is unique because it does not attack the bacterial endospore
directly to destroy it. Instead, the endospores are chemically and
biologically forced to rapidly convert to vegetative cells. The vegetative
cells can then be destroyed by any household disinfectant. The conversion
of a bacterial endospore to a vegetative cell is an ordered process that can
be divided into three distinct sequential stages:
Stage 1: Activation is a reversible process involving tertiary changes in
the spore coat proteins such as the breaking of disulfide bonds. Sublethal
heat and certain chemical agents, such as reducing agents, can act as an
activating agent.
Stage 2: Germination occurs when activated spores are placed in favorable
conditions. Germination is irreversible and leads to the termination of the
dormant stage of the endospore. Germination of activated spores requires
the presence of a chemical trigger, a germinant. Different species of
spore forming bacteria can require different germinant chemicals.
Stage 3: Outgrowth occurs if the nutrients required for growth are
present. The germinated endospores will undergo an initial swelling of the
spore within the spore coat accompanied by rapid synthesis of the vegetative
cell wall. The newly formed vegetative cell then emerges from the spore
coat, elongates, and proceeds with binary fission and reproduction.
CLEANTHRAX™ technology physiologically forces the endospores into
activation, germination and outgrowth. After the irreversible process of
activation and germination, the vegetative bacterial cells are easily killed
by any common household disinfectant. CLEANTHRAX‰ technology allows a fast,
safe, cost effect remediation method for anthrax contaminated buildings and
can be applied anywhere that Anthrax spores are delivered.
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