SPILLS of chemical warfare agents or industrial acids could one day be easily wiped away.
Conventional methods to soak up harmful chemicals typically involve powdered carbon, which is itself a health risk if breathed in. So the US army, working alongside Texas Tech University in Lubbock and the Lawrence Livermore lab in California, have embedded the activated carbon in a super-absorbent wipe. This can decontaminate anything from human skin to electronic equipment.
Toxic vapours are captured by the carbon, while an absorbent layer either side soaks up any liquid, says Seshadri Ramkumar of Texas Tech. In tests, the wipe successfully…
