Wipes for Detection and Cleaning of Hazardous Drug Contamination
Chemotherapydrugs are themselves carcinogens that attack otherwise healthy cells andtissues in addition to cancerous cells. Pharmacists who prepare these drugs,and nurses who may prepare and/or administer them are the two occupationalgroups who have the highest potential exposure to chemotherapy drugs. TheNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends anumber of practices to employers, including protocols on environmental wipesampling and deactivation/decontamination, cleaning and disinfection of allareas where hazardous drugs (HD) are handled (e.g., such as during receiving,compounding, transport, administering, and disposal). Despite mandates forcontrolling personnel exposure to HDs, NIOSH has not adopted any studies todemonstrate the effectiveness of specific sampling methods in determining levelsof HD contamination. In addition, thereare no certifying agencies for wipe sampling kits. A system that provides cognizance ofsurface/area contamination with the ability to effectively decontaminate andclean is warranted. Studies have shownthat pharmacists and nurses demand products that would allow real-time feedbackof information that aids in their personal safety. Thisinvention offers novel derivatives of the compound [4-(4-Nitrobenzyl) pyridine(NBP)] incorporated in an anticancer drug cleaning solution that providessimultaneous detection of HDs by colorimetric indication and greater than99.99% cleaning effectiveness. Specifically, this system provides indicators that change color in thepresence of alkylating agents (which constitute the majority of cytotoxic drugsused in chemotherapy) in solution with a non-proprietary effective anticancerdrug cleaner, both incorporated in a wipe. The proposed technology thus serves as a “litmus test for hazardous drugcontamination”, detecting contamination below 100nM, combined with a powerfulcleaning agent that dilutes and absorbs, rather than react with cytotoxic drugswhich could form even more dangerous by-products, all in a single, simple,inexpensive wipe.
USA
