What is decomposition fluid, and why is it a biohazard?
Decomposition fluid, sometimes called purge fluid, is the liquid released as a body breaks down, and it is a biohazard because it carries bacteria and can soak deep into floors and fittings. Dealing with it means decontaminating a property after a body has been in situ, not simply mopping the surface.
What is decomposition fluid?
Decomposition fluid is the fluid produced as the body's tissues break down after death, driven by the body's own bacteria and enzymes. It is often dark and strong-smelling, and it can be released from the body onto whatever surface it is resting on, spreading outward as decomposition continues.
Why is decomposition fluid a biohazard?
Decomposition fluid is a biohazard because it contains high levels of bacteria and can transmit infection, and because it penetrates porous materials such as carpet, floorboards, plaster and mattresses. Surface cleaning alone leaves contamination beneath, so affected materials frequently have to be removed and the structure below decontaminated.
How is decomposition fluid cleaned up safely?
Decomposition fluid is cleaned up safely by trained technicians in respiratory protection who contain the area, remove contaminated porous materials, decontaminate the surfaces beneath to a clinical standard, and treat the odour at source. All contaminated waste is removed by a registered clinical waste carrier, and closely related blood and fluid cleaning follows the same method.
Does the smell go away on its own?
The odour from decomposition does not clear on its own, because it comes from contamination held in materials and the air. It resolves only once the source is removed and the area is decontaminated and deodorised, which is why airing a property or using household sprays does not work.
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