Study of Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agents using Solid Decontamination Substances

Abstract

The decontamination of chemical warfare agents is important for the elimination or reduction of the effects of these substances on persons. Solid decontamination (degradation) sorbents that decompose dangerous substances belong among modern decontamination substances. The aim of the study was to design a procedure for monitoring the degradation of chemical warfare agents using such sorbents. The degradation of soman, VX [O-ethyl-S-(diisopropylaminoethyl)methylphosphonothioate] and sulphur mustard (chemical warfare agents) was monitored using FTIR spectrometry with the attenuated total reflection (ATR) technique. During the development and validation of this process, bonds were found in the substance molecule that decomposed and the positions of the absorbance bands corresponded to the vibration of these bonds. The evaluation of the degradation efficiency procedure for sorbents on chemical warfare agents was designed based on this study. We present the result of the measurements graphically as the time dependence of the distributed chemical warfare agent ratio, and the reaction times required to decompose 50% and 90% of the original amount of the substance.

Design and Application of Photocrosslinkable Hydrogel Films for Fast and Efficient Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

“…As a result, operational protocols for CWAs must be developed and implemented to be prepared to reduce the impact of these hazards competently. Protection, detection, , decontamination, ,− and analysis − are the four major pillars in the management of CWA occurrences. Among them, one of the most crucial is decontamination, which ensures that the detrimental effects of CWA are minimized and safety may be restored .…”

Reactive Organic Suspensions Comprising ZnO, TiO2, and Zeolite Nanosized Adsorbents: Evaluation of Decontamination Efficiency on Soman and Sulfur Mustard

“…Solutions based on ethanol, phenol, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, calcium hypochlorite, tetrachloroethylene, surfactants, and water were developed and were introduced in the endowment of the armies, but they presented drawbacks related to their poor performances at certain pH levels and also to the potential damages produced to the decontaminated substrate (metal [12], glass [13], plastics [14], rubber [15], wood flooring [16], concrete [17], painted surfaces [18], or the surface of sensitive equipment [19], etc.). Solid adsorbents, such as Fuller's earth [20], have been used as an alternative because they do not affect the surface subjected to decontamination, but the major inconvenience in this case is that they only physically remove the contaminants, not neutralize them [11]. Active sorbents, also called destructive sorbents, represent a prospective development in this field.…”