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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Decontamination of Seawater in a Harbor: Case Study of Potential Bioterrorism Attack

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Bioterrorism attack to large harbors is likely, simply by the discharge of intentionally infected ship’s ballast water. Therefore, the ships must be equipped with the control probes of extensive microbial growth in the ballast water tanks to avoid such a scenario. In case of intentional discharge of ballast water containing Bacillus anthracis, a two-dimensional disinfection of the harbor’s seawater surface can be made using hydrophobic or surface-active disinfectant, by using humic acid with trimethylammonium groups, concentrating in the monomolecular layer on water–air interphase. It will prevent the formation and dispersion of the deadly bioaerosol to atmosphere after a bioterrorism attack in the harbor. We have presented a tabletop exercise (TTX), simulating a scenario for bacterial formation of two-dimensional films of calcium carbonate crystals on the seawater surface using bacterial oxidation and other medium-chain fatty acids as consequence management and from lessons learnt.