Anthrax mail cleaning zaps digital data - trade group
Date: 08-Jan-02
Country: USA
Compact flash memory cards used to store data on many name-brand digital cameras
and handheld computers face not just data loss but become entirely inoperable
when subjected to electron beam irradiation, the CompactFlash Association said.
The trade group - comprised of scores of Asian, American and European electronics
makers - made the announcement from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) underway
here this week.
CES is the largest annual U.S. trade show devoted to showcasing electronic
gadgets.
"Testing has confirmed that these systems, which operate in the range of 55 kGy,
damage not only semiconductors, but other goods as well, including
pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, biological samples, and photographic film," the
group said.
KGy is a measure of gamma radiation levels.
Since October, the U.S. Postal Service has subjected mail to irradiation scans to
guard against the danger of anthrax and other possible biological agents passing
through the delivery system.
Five persons in the United States are known to have died from inhaled anthrax,
including two postal employees, a tabloid photo editor and two women with no
known connection to anthrax-tainted mail.
The Postal Service's own Web site states that: "The Postal Service is working
with the mailing industry to develop procedures to ensure that sanitization of
the mail will not damage sensitive items in the mail.
"Sanitization technology is currently being tested on a wide range of film
products, digital and magnetic storage devices, laboratory samples, food and
plant products, and "smart" credit cards with embedded chips to ensure that all
business mail can be safely processed through the postal system."
The question of the outcome of such tests on these products remains unanswered on
the postal organization's site.
The Compact Flash Association said it is possible that the Postal Service is no
longer passing targeted mail though these e-beam systems. It said it is working
with the post office to find safe ways to deliver semiconductor memories via the
mail.
However, the group said it is alerting all users of CompactFlash cards of the
inherent risk of damage to CompactFlash cards should they pass through an e-beam
irradiation system.
The CompactFlash Association said that other delivery services have no plans to
use irradiation systems, but users should remain alert for any changes in the
future. And while e-beam irradiation systems for the mail will damage
CompactFlash cards, the X-ray scanners at airports will not.
