July 14, 2008

University research team develops ventilation warning system

SASKATOON

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are working on designing a ventilation system that could protect schools, hospitals, and other public buildings from chemical warfare and bioterrorist attacks.

“Think of it as a complex fire alarm for industrial chemical spills, airborne diseases, and biological warfare strikes on vulnerable public spaces,” said Janusz Kozinski, engineering dean and lead researcher.

“Whether an emergency starts with a terrorist’s biowarfare assault or a contagious disease seeping through a hospital’s air ducts, time is of the essence. This system promises to give citizens and emergency workers in these scenarios the extra seconds they need to respond before it’s too late.”

The Early Warning and Response system addresses what Kozinski views as major threats to public safety — the release of noxious chemicals and bio-agents into public buildings either accidentally through industrial spills or purposely through bioterrorist assaults that target ventilation systems.

It could also address the threat of outbreaks by detecting diseases, such as chickenpox and tuberculosis, before they spread through a hospital’s air vents.

The lab’s research will also help determine how the system can both filter harmful agents out of the air and activate warnings when airborne contaminants reach a critical density.

In its current design, the system quickly notifies building residents about potential threats and conserves energy by only activating in times of potential crisis.

“We are expanding the scope of (the system’s) applications to cover a wider base of situations that may affect civilian populations, such as the spread of influenza, anthrax, or the nerve agent Sarin,” said Andre Dascal, a McGill University associate professor who is collaborating on the project.

Canadian Press

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