The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory recently tested 30 different decontamination wipes to clean up chemical warfare agents and other toxins, and Fibertect™ nonwoven dry wipes outperformed the rest—including materials currently used by the military. The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, developed the new wipe to “safeguard our troops against chemical hazards and assist emergency crews in cleanups from toxic accidents and environmental disasters,” says Kent Hance, chancellor of Texas Tech University system.

Fibertect’s needlepunch nonwoven material features an activated carbon core sandwiched between absorbent layers on the top and bottom. It can be used as a decontamination wipe, but is comfortable enough to line protective suits, filters and masks, according to Seshadri Ramkumar, supervisor of the Texas Tech Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory. “The material is flexible, doesn’t contain loose particles, and is capable of cleaning intricate parts of everything from the human body to a control panel of a fighter jet,” says Ramkumar. Hobbs Bonded Fibers of Waco, Texas, has been licensed to manufacture and market Fibertect. For more information, visit www.hobbsbondedfibers.com.