Alternative Technologies for the Destruction of Chemical Agents and Munitions (1993)
Chapter: 6 Low-Temperature, Liquid-Phase Processes
6
Low-Temperature, Liquid-Phase Processes
This chapter reviews several chemical, biological, and other processes designed to destroy chemical agents under low-temperature conditions, those from about 20°C to less than 100°C. The lower value is room temperature. The upper value allows the use of aqueous systems at atmospheric pressure to minimize the risks of leakage of high concentrations of agent from pressurized autoclaves.
Three main types of low-temperature, liquid-phase processes are reviewed below: processes for detoxification, processes for oxidation of organic residue, and biological processes.
Detoxification processes have been the most intensively studied. They offer promising approaches for all three major agents in the U.S. stockpile (GB, VX, and H). This set of processes includes chemical processes and the use of ionizing radiation for detoxification.
In addition to detoxification by conversion of agent to other compounds, demilitarization requires the process to be essentially irreversible (see Chapter 1). This requirement will, in some cases, require a two-step sequence of initial detoxification followed by further chemical processing, which could be accomplished with additional chemical reaction but would not require complete oxidation to carbon dioxide. Detoxification reactions that produce irreversible products are therefore of most interest.
Relatively little effort has been directed to achieving complete oxidation at low pressure and temperature. However, there are several leads in this direction, arising from studies of chlorinated hydrocarbon destruction and agent decontamination. In view of recent advances in synthetic and catalytic chemistry, the discovery of improved oxidation processes seems possible. The time pressure to develop these processes is less than for detoxification processes, because material detoxified to meet the treaty demilitarization requirements can be stored safely and in compliance with the international treaty, until an improved oxidation process is developed and tested.
Biochemical processes to destroy chemical agents have received relatively little study, and if they are to be used, both exploratory and basic
