RUSSIA: RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS DISCOVER WAY OF DESTROYING ANTHRAX SPORES AND OTHER DANGEROUS VIRUSES

Record ID: 648635

  • Title: RUSSIA: RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS DISCOVER WAY OF DESTROYING ANTHRAX SPORES AND OTHER DANGEROUS VIRUSES
  • Date: 3rd November 2001
  • Summary: (U7)MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 3, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. MV:/CU: EXTERIOR POST OFFICE/ SIGN (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. WIDE INTERIOR OF POST OFFICE 0.13 3. SV: MAN NEAR POST OFFICE WINDOW 0.18 4. SV: WORKERS AT MOSCOW'S POST OFFICE SORTING OUT LETTERS 0.24 5. CLOSE-UP OF LETTERS 0.27 6. SCU: PILES OF LETTERS ON THE FLOOR 0.32 (U7)NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 3, 2001) (REUTERS) 7. LV/SV: EXTERIOR OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS INSTITUTE; ENTRANCE (2 SHOTS) 0.43 8. SV: DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE EDWARD KRUGLYAKOV (RIGHT) TALKING TO COLLEAGUE 0.47 9. PAN: MACHINERY 0.55 10. SV/SCU: WOMEN SETTING LETTER ON SPECIAL TRAY (2 SHOTS) 1.07 11. TILT/SV: MACHINERY SCANNING LETTERS (2 SHOTS) 1.18 12. SV/CU'S: WORKER SETTING ACCELERATOR (4 SHOTS) 1.33 13. CLOSE-UP-PAN/TV OF ACCELERATOR (2 SHOTS) 1.46 14. SCU: DOOR CLOSES 1.54 15. CU: LAMP, WARNING OF RADIOACTIVITY, (RUSSIAN) SWITCHED ON 1.58 16. SV: SCIENTISTS WATCHING MONITOR 2.09 17. CLOSE-UP OF COMPUTER SCREEN 2.13 18. SV/CU: SCREEN SHOWING LETTERS BEING EXPOSED TO RADIATION (2 SHOTS) 2.22 19. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) EDUARD KRUGLYAKOV, DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS INSTITUTE IN NOVOSIBIRSK SAYING: "Here we work with bacteria that is harmless but very closely resembles anthrax. What we do here is try to figure out the exact doses of radiation required. And today I must say that we have found the answers. If we get an official request [from the United States] then in a couple of months we will be able to set up the accelerator and protection at the Vektor [research laboratory] and begin our experiments with anthrax and other dangerous microorganisms." 2.55 (U7)KOLTSOVO, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 17, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 20. VEKTOR RESEARCH LABORATORY / LABORATORY STAFF DRESSING IN PLASTIC PROTECTION SUITS, WALKING THROUGH LABORATORY HALLS, HANDLING BIOLOGICAL CULTURES AND LIVE LABORATORY MICE (8 SHOTS) 3.25 (U7)NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 3, 2001) (REUTERS -ACCESS ALL) 21. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) EDUARD KRUGLYAKOV, DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS INSTITUTE IN NOVOSIBIRSK SAYING: "This collection is the richest in the world, that is, as far as I know, Americans don't have. Secondly Americans do not have such a wide diversity of beams that we have. There are several firms in the world that are able to produce accelerators, but I think, it is a question of bringing all these firms together because a lot of accelerators will be needed." 3.57 22. SV/CU/SCU: SCIENTIST EXPERIMENTING BACTERIA THAT WAS EXPOSED TO VARIOUS DOSES OF RADIATION (3 SHOTS) 4.17 23. CU: PLASTIC BOXES ON TABLE; SCIENTIST EXPOSING BACTERIA OVER BUNSEN BURNER (3 SHOTS) 4.40 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th November 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, NOVOSIBIRSK AND KOLTSOVO, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA9WQRFZL89CIZ40MWCCLFBQXI0
  • Story Text: Russian scientists have found a way of destroying
    anthrax spores and other dangerous viruses.

    They say anthrax spores that were found in letters die
    instantly if the envelopes are exposed to radiation.


    Scientists from the Nuclear Physics Institute in
    Russia's Siberian city of Novosibirsk have come to the
    conclusion that radiation could be the solution against the
    threat of anthrax.

    For years Russian scientists have been using radiation to
    get rid of insects like weevil that spoiled around 6% of
    their imported grain.

    To save the grain from the destructive insect it was
    exposed to radiation. As a result the weevil lost it's
    ability to reproduce. The insect soon died and the grain
    became clean.

    Radioactive exposure can be used on all kinds of bacteria,
    including the deadly anthrax spores.

    After numerous cases of people receiving letters
    containing anthrax in the United States Russian scientists
    decided to offer their help to Americans.

    If letters, containing anthrax spores, are exposed to high
    levels of radiation, the spores die in seconds.

    The letters, containing bacteria harmless to a human being,
    are placed on a special moving tray that is linked to an
    accelerator. After the doors are safely shut scientists set on
    the accelerator that produces a nuclear beam. It penetrates
    the letters, destroying the spores.

    No one can enter the premises while the accelerator is
    switched for danger of being exposed to radiation. But the
    moment the accelerator is switched off workers can safely
    enter the room.

    "Here we work with bacteria that is harmless but very
    closely resembles anthrax. What we do here is try to figure
    out the exact doses of radiation required. And today I must
    say that we have found the answers," says the Institute's
    director Eduard Kruglyakov
    Kruglyakov said that recently the United States have
    unofficially asked their assistance in this field. But
    Russia's financially stripped research institutes would not be
    able carry out the program without the financial help from the
    United States.

    "If we get an official request [from the United States]
    then in a couple of months we will be able to set up the
    accelerator and protection at the Vektor [research laboratory]
    and begin our experiments with anthrax and other dangerous
    microorganisms."
    At its peak, the former Soviet Union had the world's
    largest biological warfare program, with somewhere between
    25,000 and 32,000 people employed in a network of up to 70,000
    people in military and civilian laboratories and research
    institutions.

    At the Vector research Institute outside Novosibirsk
    Russia stores the deadly smallpox virus. This is only one of
    two places in the world, the other is the Centers for Disease
    Control in Atlanta, where smallpox is officially contained.

    Russian scientists claim Vector has the largest collection of
    various bacteria in the world.


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