A Review of Biological Agent Sampling Methods and Application to a Wide-Area Incident Scenario to Characterize Time and Resource Demands
Citation:
Calfee, W., S. Lee, AND T. Boe. A Review of Biological Agent Sampling Methods and Application to a Wide-Area Incident Scenario to Characterize Time and Resource Demands. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-17/176, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
A large-scale aerosol release of a persistent, disease-causing biological agent can result in contamination of a wide area, and may require significant time and resources for recovery depending on the severity of adverse health effects on the exposed population(s). Many unknowns are associated with characterization and clearance sampling during response to a wide-area (including indoor, outdoor, and underground area) biological incident. This study was conducted to evaluate current sampling and analytical capabilities, from a time and resource perspective, for a large-scale biological contamination incident. The analysis will be useful for strategically directing future research investment. There is a lack of understanding concerning the fate and transport of spores over long periods of time. This understanding is critical when considering the amount of time potentially required to conduct characterization sampling. Spore fate and transport must be understood for effective sampling and remediation strategy development. This study supports further consideration of a combined sampling design approach using probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling when characterizing a wide area incident. Additional decision support tools are needed to help direct sampling efforts for wide area incidents where time and cost considerations are critical factors.
Description:
Report