Citation

Reshetin VP, Regens JL. Risk Anal. 2003; 23(6): 1135-1145.

Affiliation

Joint Institute for Power and Nuclear Research, nationa Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Sosny-Minsk, 220109, Belarus.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Society for Risk Analysis, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14641889

Abstract

Recent events have increased awareness of the risk posed by terrorist attacks. Bacillus anthracis has resurfaced in the 21st century as a deadly agent of bioterrorism because of its potential for causing massive civilian casualties. This analysis presents the results of a computer simulation of the dispersion of anthrax spores in a typical 50-story, high-rise building after an intentional release during a bioterrorist incident. The model simulates aerosol dispersion in the case of intensive, small-scale convection, which equalizes the concentration of anthrax spores over the building volume. The model can be used to predict the time interval required for spore dispersion throughout a building after a terrorist attack in a high-rise building. The analysis reveals that an aerosol release of even a relatively small volume of anthrax spores during a terrorist incident has the potential to quickly distribute concentrations that are infectious throughout the building.

Language: en