In the event of CBRN mass casualty incidents, a specialized approach is essential that includes decontamination procedures. There are two types of decontamination systems most often used for CBRN incidents: wet and dry. While wet decontamination is more common, it can be problematic in cold weather or when logistical equipment is unavailable. This scoping review seeks to assess the effectiveness of dry decontamination.

Evaluating the effectiveness of dry decontamination methods for mass decontamination.

A scoping review was done on dry decontamination using various databases, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Following the PRISMA approach, nine eligible articles were included in this scoping review. The methods of dry decontamination, types of decontamination materials, methods of analyzing decontamination, and the main conclusions from each study were extracted, summarized, and compared.

The review found that dry decontamination is an effective method (4 articles), particularly when dealing with liquid contaminants (1 article). However, its efficacy diminishes in cases of more hairy parts of the body (1 article) and when dealing with chemicals in particle form. Effectiveness of dry decontamination varies depending on the material used and the chemical agent involved (3 articles). Moreover, the technique of blotting and rubbing was found to increase effectiveness (1 article).

This scoping review found that dry decontamination can be effective and may be an alternative to wet decontamination in CBRN mass casualty incidents, particularly for liquid contaminants. Its effectiveness varies depending on factors such as the type of contaminants, and the decontaminant material used.