An Antidote For Terror?

George Mason University has become known for its Final Four "Cinderella" basketball team. But there's something else brewing on the Fairfax County campus.

A science professor and his students have developed a tool that can be used to combat a chemical or biological attack from terrorists.

?One of the major fears is that we'll have a radiological dirty bomb go off here in DC or Chicago or New York,? says professor Mark Krekeler. ?Our technology is geared to prevent the spread of this material.?

The murky, muddy substance is like liquid gold to Mark Krekeler. It's called Countersol. The George Mason University professor says the opaque substance will counteract chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attacks.

?So, if a bomb goes off, the first responders, the firemen or FEMA, they would spray the material on the bomb site. And it would prevent the material from being spread throughout the city,? he said.

Krekeler, along with two of his students, developed this ground-breaking technology.

Countersol chemically reacts by absorbing dangerous poisonous powders such as anthrax, radioactive materials in dirty bombs and biological threats like small pox.

Krekeler says the technology can even been used in the nation's water system.

The used liquid is analyzed and heated into a solid form for long-term storage. The scientists are seeking funding for large scale production of a product, they say, is for the good of all mankind.

?Our technology saves lives. It protects human health,? the professor says. ?It can be used in may different forms, in many different ways, and potentially it has a major impact on the war on terrorism.?

Mark Krekeler and the two undergraduate students are now business partners, co -founded Mineral Sciences. The company is scheduled to demonstrate their product with Fairfax County officials in June.