Atomic Nitrogen Decontamination System (ANDS)

The biological decontamination using atomic nitrogen has already been demonstrated on contaminated small surfaces. For the decontamination of larger surfaces, we propose here the use of “brushes” consisting of a flow of molecular nitrogen at atmospheric pressure containing nitrogen atoms. This method can be used for biological disinfection at large scale with no ecological risks, since all active substances by which atomic nitrogen has decontaminating effects (i.e. N, OH, O3, O, NO, etc.) in different states of excitation, are natural species occurring in the atmosphere, and molecular nitrogen itself is of course not dangerous. For example, all these active species involved in the proposed system are also produced naturally during lightning. While the method described here is not directly addressing Cyber Security (although it targets viruses), the subject is of global importance related to all aspects of security.