Ecologically safe destruction of the detoxification products of mustard-lewisite mixtures from the Russian chemical stockpile

Abstract

An integrated chemical/biological method has been developed to create an environmentally safe technology for the destruction of the detoxi®cation products of mustard±lewisite mixtures (MLM) from the Russian Stockpile of Chemical Warfare (CW) Agents. This method includes three sequential steps: (1) detoxi®cation by alkaline hydrolysis, (2) electrochemical treatment of detoxi®cation products including electrolysis and electrocoagulation for removing arsenic salts and for converting all organic components to bioutilized substances, and (3) bioutilization of the electrochemical products by a selected microbial association. This integrated system makes it possible to achieve an environmentally safe destruction of MLM. The approach provided for an effective engineering process that was able to biodegrade the organic materials resulting from the alkaline hydrolysis of sulfur mustard±lewisite mixtures once toxic arsenate was removed by electrochemical means.

New insights into the biodegradation of thiodiglycol, the hydrolysis product of Yperite (sulfur mustard gas)

“…A two‐step process for the destruction of mustard gas has already been conceived and developed: the first step lies in the chemical hydrolysis of the gas (Harvey et al. 1998) or the chemical treatment of mustard–lewisite mixtures (Boronin et al. 2000), and the second step the biodegradation of the detoxification product, namely TDG.…”

Microbial degradation of the detoxification products of mustard from the Russian chemical weapons stockpile

“…The conditions and mechanism of thiodiglycol degradation by a selected bacterial strain, Alcaligenes xylosoxydans ssp denitrificans TD2, have also been studied 5. A combined chemical–biotechnological method has also been developed for treatment of the RM formed in the detoxification of mustard–lewisite mixtures; the final stage involves the utilisation of the electrochemical‐oxidation products (mostly organic acids) of these RMs by a selected microbial association 6…”