Decontamination

Safe Decontamination of Electronic Devices

VTO Labs has created a proprietary process for the safe decontamination of electronic devices exposed to hazardous materials. Items that were unsafe to handle can now be efficiently decontaminated and examined. Organizations no longer need to gamble with their examiners' health and wellbeing.

COVID-19 Note: Our decontamination formula is on the EPA List N for use against SARS-CoV-2,

the virus that causes COVID-19.

Products Offered

Please contact us to order.

Contaminated Device Transport Kit

Safely transport electronic devices exposed to biohazardous materials to the laboratory. The included packing materials meet IATA and ICAA guidelines for the transport of hazardous materials.

Three sizes available: mobile phone, computer/tablet, or drone

What's included?

Customized, hard-sided transport case
Personal Protective Equipment
VTO Venom on-scene cleaning solution
Bag for contaminated device
Absorbant packing material
Uniquely numbered security seal
Laminated on-scene instruction card

Contaminated Device Evaluation Kit with Decontamination Process Training

VTO Labs has created a complete laboratory process including the use of decontamination chemicals to safely clean and decontaminate devices exposed to biohazardous contaminants.

What is included?

Contaminated Device Transport Kit for the safe collection and carriage of contaminated devices
Online training in VTO's decontamination process
Two gallons of EasyDECON chemicals for laboratory cleaning

Decontamination Chemicals

The foundation of the contaminated device laboratory process is research confirmed decontamination chemicals that allow for the safe cleanup and decontamination of biohazard risks.

What is included?

Easy three-part solution that is mixed in the laboratory when needed for decontamination.

Contaminated Device Transport Kit Reload

The Contaminated Device Transport Kit features a reusable hard-sided transport case.

Use this Kit Reload to refill your customized hard-sided case with additional PPE, on-scene cleaning solution, bags, evidence tag, and laminated instruction card for the next use.

Problem Statement

Forensic laboratories are facing a growing threat for which they are unprepared. The risks to health and safety associated with the handling of evidence contaminated with residue from viruses and illegal drug manufacturing facilities are problematic.

Retrieved items may require additional processing to make them safe for examiners to handle for their normal evidence processing procedures. Law enforcement digital forensics examiners are radically unprepared for this risk. Digital forensic examiners routinely need to disassemble electronic devices as part of data acquisition process. Devices may have undergone surface cleaning at a crime-scene by first responders trained in biohazard personal protection equipment (PPE), but the items still may not be sufficiently clean inside to safely handle. This fact creates a false sense of security for the examiner. Additionally, traditional forensic laboratory personnel may also need to disassemble pieces of evidence to complete their examinations (e.g., firearms examiners, arson investigators, crashed vehicle forensics).

Existing cleaning methods and chemicals exist to safely neutralize biohazardous materials, but these methods and techniques have not been tested for their impact on electronic devices and the data that resides within them. Existing questions include:

Can these chemicals and cleaning processes in current use be safely applied to electronic devices to render the devices safe for further laboratory examination?
Do the chemicals or processes damage the electronic devices or prevent the recovery of data from said devices?
Can the effectiveness of investigations and further prosecutions be increased by providing services or materials and safe evidence handling techniques for laboratory personnel to addresses contaminated electronic devices?

Solution

Extensive services, materials and training are available to prepare all who handle seized items. In collaboration with a partner company, VTO tested a decontamination formula that was designed for full-spectrum biological and chemical decontamination. This product was created by a U.S. National laboratory to clean environments and equipment exposed to chemical or biological weapons.

VTO Labs tested the integration of this decontaminant into electronics to determine if electronics could be safely cleaned and remain usable after decontamination. The process is a success.
VTO decontaminated smart phones, tablets, computer hard drives, and flash drives. After decontamination, the devices functioned without issue allowing for complete data recovery.

Contaminants Neutralized

The decontamination formula has been tested for over 20 years against the following classes of
contaminants: