CLEANING PARTICULATE MATTER AND CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS FROM HANDS AND ELASTOMERIC ARTICLES

摘要

An apparatus (20) has a hand-cleaning volume (28) sized to receive a gloved or ungloved human hand (30). The apparatus (20) includes a mechanical-cleaning device (32) and a chemical-cleaning device (60), operated sequentially to remove particles and chemical contaminants such as organics. The mechanical- cleaning device (32) has a pressurized gas source (34) positioned to direct a flow of pressurized activated gas into the hand-cleaning volume (28). The chemical-cleaning device (60) has an activating nebulizer (62) operable to emit an activated cleaning mist into the hand-cleaning volume (28) so that t he activated cleaning mist contacts the hand (30) in the hand-cleaning volume (28). The hand (30) is cleaned by directing a flow of pressurized ionized ga s over the hand (30), and thereafter flowing a mist of activated cleaning solution over the hand (30). The cleaning solution preferably includes hydrogen peroxide. The cleaning may be applied to other elastomeric articles as well.