Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment – Containment – Solidification – vitrification – or cementation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-02
2001-06-12
Langel, Wayne (Department: 1754)
Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment
Containment
Solidification, vitrification, or cementation
C588S253000, C588S253000, C588S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245957
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the decontanination of chemical agents. More particularly, the present invention is a composition, and a method that uses the composition, which decontaminate nerve and mustard chemical warfare agents. The composition is generally non-toxic to handling personnel prior to its use as a decontaminate for chemical warfare agents.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Today's military forces are confronted with the possibility of encountering chemical agents in battlefields. Additionally, civilians are at risk to unforeseen chemical leaks and possible terrorist attacks using chemical weapons.
Militarily, decontamination systems are important because they allow rapid decontamination of material in the immediate area of the soldier. They may be liquid solutions or solid sorbents. Decontamination capability allows soldiers to restore materiel contaminated with chemical agents. Rapid decontamination mininizes downtime for soldiers operating within an operating area.
Several types of toxic chemical compounds are known. These include mustard and nerve agents. Mustard agents or gases, also called blister agents, may be nitrogen or chlorinated sulfur compounds. The most common type of mustard agent are the chlorinated sulfur compounds. Long after mustard gas was discovered in 1822, it was used in World War I as a chemical warfare agent, causing approximately 400,000 casualties. The sulphur mustard gas is chemically known as bis-(chloroethyl)-sulphide. The nitrogen mustard gas is chemically known as tris(2-chloroethyl)amine. Mustard gas is a colorless, oily liquid having a garlic or horseradish odor. It is slightly soluble in water, complicating removal by washing. It primarily attacks humans through inhalation and dermal contact, having an Airborne Exposure Limit (AEL) of 0.003 mg/m
3
. Mustard gas is a vesicant and an alkylating agent which produces a cytotoxic reaction to the hematopoietic tissues. Symptoms usually begin to take effect 4 to 24 hours after initial contact. The rate of detoxification of mustard gas is slow and repeated exposure yields a cumulative effect.
Nerve agents or gases were discovered in 1936, during research on more effective pesticides. Nerve agents inhibit a certain enzymes within the human body from destroying a substance called acetylcholine. This produces a nerve signal within the body forcing the muscles to contract. Nerve agents have an Airborne Exposure Limit (AEL) of 0.00001 mg/m
3
.
Currently, one of the primary chemical warfare agent decontaminating solutions is Decontamination Solution 2. Decontamination Solution 2, or DS2, is a chemical warfare decontaminating solution used by the United States Army. DS2 contains approximately 70% diethylenetriamine (DETA), 28% ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME), and 2% NaOH by weight, and is used for decontaminating a variety of chemical warfare agents. However, DS2 is toxic, corrosive, flammable and hazardous to the environment. EGME is teratogenic, and the secondary amine structure in DETA possess a possible health hazard from conversion to a potential N-nitrosoamine carcinogen. DS2 is extremely resistant to biodegradation, particularly with regard to the DETA component of the solution.
Although basic peroxide has been shown to decontaminate GD and GB, it does not individually affect HD, because of both its insolubility in aqueous media and its slow reaction with OOH
−
. It has been reported in “Catalytic Activation of Hydrogen Peroxide-A Green Oxidant System,” by Russell S. Drago, Karen M. Frank, George Wagner, and Yu-Chu Yang in Proceedings of the 1997 ERDEC Scientific Conference on chemical and Biological Defense Research, ERDEC-SP-063, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, July 1998, pp. 341-342, that bicarbonate ion dramatically enhances the oxidation of HD by peroxide in water/t-BuOH media via generation of the highly reactive peroxocarbonate, HCO
4
−
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a environmentally safe decontamination solution for chemical warfare agents, such as nerve agents and HD.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide decontamination composition for chemical warfare agents that is safe for human contact and the environment.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention which includes a chemical warfare agent decontaminating composition comprising a mixture of a carbonate component, peroxide component, and alcohol component effective to degrade chemical warfare agent.
The present invention further includes a method for neutralizing chemical warfare agent comprising the steps of providing a chemical warfare agent decontaminating composition comprising a mixture of a carbonate component, peroxide component, and alcohol component effective to degrade a chemical warfare agent, and, contacting the mixture with a chemical warfare agent.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is a nerve and mustard agent, especially VX, GB, GD, and HD chemical agents, decontamination composition and method for neutralizing chemical warfare agents with the composition. The composition includes a mixture of carbonate, peroxide and alcohol components. As a suitable replacement for the toxic and corrosive DS2 decontaminant, the present invention has a broad-spectrum reactivity towards all agents, even in cold weather operations, while achieving a significant reduction in the toxic, corrosive and environmentally harmful nature of the decontaminant. The present invention may be used for a broad range of chemical warfare agents and/or decontamination applications, ranging from heavy equipment to sensitive equipment/electronics and personnel. In its preferred embodiment, the composition comprises a solution of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and alcohol. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, when dilute, possess non-irritating characteristics. When formulated with various human-compatible alcohols, e.g. ethanol (grain alcohol), isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) and polypropylene glycol (food additive), the composition of the present invention remains non-irritating and non-toxic. The present invention may also be formulated from food-grade materials, increasing the safety, convenience and universal use of the decontaminant.
The present invention is a chemical warfare agent decontaminating composition comprising a mixture of a carbonate component, peroxide component, and alcohol component effective to degrade a chemical warfare agent. The term “composition” may include, without limitation, sprays, vapors, liquids, solids, and/or other physical forms of mixtures that incorporate the carbonate, peroxide and alcohol components as a unitary decontaminant. Preferably, the mixture comprises a blended liquified combination of the components. A blended liquified combination of the components provides the mixed compounds as uniformly dispersed together within the mixture.
The carbonate component may include any carbonate that is suitable to provide a peroxocarbonate, when reacted. The carbonate non-exclusively includes sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, lithium bicarbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium carbonate and/or combinations thereof Preferably the carbonated component comprises sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda. This provides a readily convenient source, as baking soda may be acquired at most food distribution localities. The mixture comprises an amount of carbonate sufficient to effectively enhance the oxidation of HD, or the perhydrolysis of nerve agents by a peroxide, alcohol mixture. Preferably, the mixture comprises a carbonate component in an amount of from about 0.01 molar to about 0.7 molar, more preferably from about 0.1 molar to about 0.5 molar, and most preferably from about 0.2 molar to about 0.3 molar.
The present invention further contains a peroxide component, preferably having a molecular weight of from about 1000 or less, more preferably
Wagner George W.
Yang Yu-Chu
Biffoni Ulysses John
Langel Wayne
Nave Eileen E.
Ranucci Vincent J.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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