cold water. Adding soap or detergent makes it more effective. Water used for decontamination poses a
safety hazard. Take care that runoff water does not contaminate streams.
b. Water alone should not be used to decontaminate objects contaminated with Lewisite-type
blistering residue. Scrub the surface with hot, soapy water to remove the residue-or apply an alkaline
solution to neutralize it.
c. Water flushes contaminants from surfaces. It hydrolyzes some chemical agents. During
the water. It is not as effective on porous or greasy surfaces because these surfaces tend to trap and hold
contamination. So, it is always best to use a detergent water solution.
d. The procedures for using water include:
(1) Flushing.
Flushing a surface with lots of soapy water washes away the contamination. Construct a
sump to collect contaminated runoff and to limit the spread of contamination. Flushing
will not remove contamination that has soaked into the surface. The effectiveness of
flushing increases when using high pressure, extending the contact time, raising the water
temperature, adding soap or detergent or scrubbing the surface.
If steam is used to flush the surfaces, the heat kills many microorganisms. Flushing with
soapy water is the most economical way to flush large smooth areas such as painted
walls, sheet metal roofs, and walls.
(2) Boiling.
Boil drinking water for a minimum of 15 minutes. Double this time at high altitudes.
Boiling in hot, soapy water is an excellent method of biological decontamination.
Autoclaving (with a pressure-cooker device) at 121, C (250, F) for 15 minutes or in a
low-pressure cooker at 109, C (228, F) for one hour is recommended.
contaminated material, it does not reduce the radioactivity of the contamination.
3-17
CM 2506