Research status and development trends of human decontamination agents for nuclear and chemical medical rescue

In nuclear and chemical incidents, cutaneous contamination is the primary route leading to acute injury and internal radiation exposure. Consequently, carrying out prompt and effective decontamination within the 'golden rescue window' is a crucial prerequisite for mitigating harm and preserving lives. This paper reviews the research and development of human skin decontamination agents for nuclear and chemical scenarios, systematically elucidating their distinct mechanisms of action, technical classifications, and current product status. Nuclear decontamination primarily involves the physical removal of radioactive particles via washing, adsorption, and chelation. In contrast, chemical decontamination focuses on degrading toxic molecules through acid-base neutralisation, oxidation, and complexation. Core challenges pertaining to the efficacy, safety, and stability of current agents are analysed. Future development trends are projected toward high-efficiency, broad-spectrum, intelligent, and environmentally friendly formulations. This paper is intended to provide a comprehensive perspective integrating nuclear and chemical decontamination strategies to address increasingly complex emergency scenarios, offering theoretical references and technical insights for the development of next-generation high-performance human decontamination agents.