A couple of days ago, some of my equipment came into contact with a puffer fish that had been caught while spear fishing with a friend who was not savvy enough to identify the fish we were around. Once speared, the fish had to be removed and this left gloves and spear gun exposed to the insides of this poisonous fish. Online information details the bacterial poison, but there is no advice on cleaning equipment or precautions regarding this type of contact. Will the chlorinated water from a well treated (daily professional service) pool kill any residual bacteria? Sounds silly, but it was readily available to fill the tub that I use to soak my gear in. Here is a link to the same fish as the one in question farm1.static.flickr.com/24/41713502_b77ab16476.jpg
Will chlorine kill puffer fish bacteria?
- Thread starter zed19er
- Start date
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White Knight
Contributor
Personally, I'd fill the bath tub with Hot water and then dump a couple of scoops of clorine in it from the spa section at Home Depot and let it sit for a while. Then I'd pour scalding hot water over the spear tip, ext. As far as gloves go, I'd buy a new pair. As far as your friend goes, he needs to know what he is spearing "before" he kills it!
Puffer fish venom, I believe, is a protein bases enzyme tetradotoxin produced by a mutualistic relationship between the animal and a bacteria. This is not fully understood. it functions by attacking sodium based neurotransmitters in the victim. Chlorine will likely kill the bacteria, but I have no idea as the the protein based venom at all, which is the real risk. I would suspect that without ingestion, extremely hot water would act to neutralize the venom. Funny enough, I would call DAN, they might know.
Nomad
Correction, tetradotoxin is heat stable. Hot water apparently does not neutralize it.
Nomad
Correction, tetradotoxin is heat stable. Hot water apparently does not neutralize it.
ScubaSarus
Guest
You are dealing with tetrodotoxin and it is many more time as lethal as cyanide poisoning. If truly contaminated with tetrodotoxin, it can be a serious issue. Below is what a worst case scenario of decontamination would probably be and thankfully you havent ingested or had any on your skin.
I can't recommend what you should wear as the article states all sorts of protective gear.
http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/ershdb/EmergencyResponseCard_29750019.html
* INTRODUCTION: The following are general recommendations for hazardous material exposure. However, it is unlikely that tetrodotoxin will require extensive decontamination, as its toxicity is primarily through individual ingestion. Off gassing is not believed to be a hazard. Safe disposal of the contaminated food and cleaning of all food preparation surfaces and utensils with soap and water should be sufficient.
The purpose of decontamination is to make an individual and/or their equipment safe by physically removing toxic substances quickly and effectively. Care should be taken during decontamination, because absorbed agent can be released from clothing and skin as a gas. Your Incident Commander will provide you with decontaminants specific for the agent released or the agent believed to have been released.
* DECONTAMINATION CORRIDOR: The following are recommendations to protect the first responders from the release area:
o Position the decontamination corridor upwind and uphill of the hot zone.
o The warm zone should include two decontamination corridors. One decontamination corridor is used to enter the warm zone and the other for exiting the warm zone into the cold zone. The decontamination zone for exiting should be upwind and uphill from the zone used to enter.
o Decontamination area workers should wear appropriate PPE. See the PPE section of this card for detailed information.
o A solution of detergent and water (which should have a pH value of at least 8 but should not exceed a pH value of 10.5) should be available for use in decontamination procedures. Soft brushes should be available to remove contamination from the PPE.
o Labeled, durable 6-mil polyethylene bags should be available for disposal of contaminated PPE.
* INDIVIDUAL DECONTAMINATION: The following methods can be used to decontaminate an individual:
o Decontamination of First Responder:
+ Begin washing PPE of the first responder using soap and water solution and a soft brush. Always move in a downward motion (from head to toe). Make sure to get into all areas, especially folds in the clothing. Wash and rinse (using cold or warm water) until the contaminant is thoroughly removed.
+ Remove PPE by rolling downward (from head to toe) and avoid pulling PPE off over the head. Remove the SCBA after other PPE has been removed.
+ Place all PPE in labeled durable 6-mil polyethylene bags.
o Decontamination of Patient/Victim:
+ Remove the patient/victim from the contaminated area and into the decontamination corridor.
+ Remove all clothing (at least down to their undergarments) and place the clothing in a labeled durable 6-mil polyethylene bag.
+ Thoroughly wash and rinse (using cold or warm water) the contaminated skin of the patient/victim using a soap and water solution. Be careful not to break the patient/victim’s skin during the decontamination process, and cover all open wounds.
+ Cover the patient/victim to prevent shock and loss of body heat.
+ Move the patient/victim to an area where emergency medical treatment can be provided.
What breaks down a protein structure.
Meat tenderizer
Heat
Acidic environment - Vinegar
70% alcohol not 90% or above (coagulates only)
10% Chlorine not full strength; but it is harsh on your gear; I dont like chlorine touching any of my gear.
What ever solution is available to treat jelly fish stings.
Sorry for sounding scientific as denaturing a protein (destroying its folded structure to make it non-functional) is the goal here.
I think you are not looking to attack a bacterial cell but the poisonous protein a bacteria makes.
I can't recommend what you should wear as the article states all sorts of protective gear.
http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/ershdb/EmergencyResponseCard_29750019.html
* INTRODUCTION: The following are general recommendations for hazardous material exposure. However, it is unlikely that tetrodotoxin will require extensive decontamination, as its toxicity is primarily through individual ingestion. Off gassing is not believed to be a hazard. Safe disposal of the contaminated food and cleaning of all food preparation surfaces and utensils with soap and water should be sufficient.
The purpose of decontamination is to make an individual and/or their equipment safe by physically removing toxic substances quickly and effectively. Care should be taken during decontamination, because absorbed agent can be released from clothing and skin as a gas. Your Incident Commander will provide you with decontaminants specific for the agent released or the agent believed to have been released.
* DECONTAMINATION CORRIDOR: The following are recommendations to protect the first responders from the release area:
o Position the decontamination corridor upwind and uphill of the hot zone.
o The warm zone should include two decontamination corridors. One decontamination corridor is used to enter the warm zone and the other for exiting the warm zone into the cold zone. The decontamination zone for exiting should be upwind and uphill from the zone used to enter.
o Decontamination area workers should wear appropriate PPE. See the PPE section of this card for detailed information.
o A solution of detergent and water (which should have a pH value of at least 8 but should not exceed a pH value of 10.5) should be available for use in decontamination procedures. Soft brushes should be available to remove contamination from the PPE.
o Labeled, durable 6-mil polyethylene bags should be available for disposal of contaminated PPE.
* INDIVIDUAL DECONTAMINATION: The following methods can be used to decontaminate an individual:
o Decontamination of First Responder:
+ Begin washing PPE of the first responder using soap and water solution and a soft brush. Always move in a downward motion (from head to toe). Make sure to get into all areas, especially folds in the clothing. Wash and rinse (using cold or warm water) until the contaminant is thoroughly removed.
+ Remove PPE by rolling downward (from head to toe) and avoid pulling PPE off over the head. Remove the SCBA after other PPE has been removed.
+ Place all PPE in labeled durable 6-mil polyethylene bags.
o Decontamination of Patient/Victim:
+ Remove the patient/victim from the contaminated area and into the decontamination corridor.
+ Remove all clothing (at least down to their undergarments) and place the clothing in a labeled durable 6-mil polyethylene bag.
+ Thoroughly wash and rinse (using cold or warm water) the contaminated skin of the patient/victim using a soap and water solution. Be careful not to break the patient/victim’s skin during the decontamination process, and cover all open wounds.
+ Cover the patient/victim to prevent shock and loss of body heat.
+ Move the patient/victim to an area where emergency medical treatment can be provided.
What breaks down a protein structure.
Meat tenderizer
Heat
Acidic environment - Vinegar
70% alcohol not 90% or above (coagulates only)
10% Chlorine not full strength; but it is harsh on your gear; I dont like chlorine touching any of my gear.
What ever solution is available to treat jelly fish stings.
Sorry for sounding scientific as denaturing a protein (destroying its folded structure to make it non-functional) is the goal here.
I think you are not looking to attack a bacterial cell but the poisonous protein a bacteria makes.
Last edited:
I should have originally added (as I couldn't agree more): She felt bad, and I take responsibility for not better qualifying her understanding before the fact. A productive discussion followed regarding the care required, as when spear-fishing, there is no such thing as successful "catch and release".
ScubaSarus
Guest
Could you tell us what she thought the fish was before spearing it ?
There has to be a reason to pull the trigger. Are you shooting at just anything that looks of a size that would be legal of some sort of fish?
There has to be a reason to pull the trigger. Are you shooting at just anything that looks of a size that would be legal of some sort of fish?
We were fishing for grouper and she had seen some pictures of spotted grouper that had slight similarities. Visibility was low and she ended up with the puffer as a result (not puffed at the time). Biggest lesson for me was that in addition to safety training on the weapon (always reviewed before going out with anyone I have not fished with before), confirmation of fish ID knowledge is paramount.
ScubaSarus
Guest
Are you sure she didnt deflate the puffer
Low vis makes for tough conditions when spear fishing as one needs to know no-one is beyond the fish should the spear miss.
We all live and learn and hopefully move forward better from our mistakes.
Low vis makes for tough conditions when spear fishing as one needs to know no-one is beyond the fish should the spear miss.
We all live and learn and hopefully move forward better from our mistakes.
lmorin
Contributor
UC Irvine recommends that everything be soaked in 10% bleach for at least 30 min.
Question: Do you know for certain that a "pufferfish" was speared? Where did the incident occur? Not all puffers contain tetrodotoxin.
Question: Do you know for certain that a "pufferfish" was speared? Where did the incident occur? Not all puffers contain tetrodotoxin.
