Process for decontaminating military nerve and blister agents

Abstract

The invention provides a process for decontaminating military nerve agents and blister agents. The process involves contacting the nerve agent and blister agent, particularly clothing and other items contaminated therewith, with gaseous ozone or chlorine dioxide, whereby the agents are oxidized to non-toxic products and thereby decontaminated rapidly, e.g. within a few minutes. The treatment with ozone or chlorine dioxide does not seriously affect the mechanical properties of the contaminated materials, such as fabrics.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for decontaminating toxic chemical agents, commonly referred to as nerve agents and blister agents. These agents are of potential use in the battlefield and hence represent a serious threat to military personnel. To combat this threat various types of protective clothing and accessory equipment have been developed. However, such protective clothing and equipment must be decontaminated after they have been exposed to these chemical agents in the battlefield.

In the past the most effective methods for decontaminating such chemical agents have involved treating the contaminated items with bleach (aqueous calcium hypochlorite) or aqueous sodium hydroxide solution containing diethylenetriamine. These methods are not entirely satisfactory, since they employ solutions which are corrosive, hazardous and often have a serious adverse effect on the mechanical properties and function of the items treated. The use of steam autoclaving as well as general wet laundering and dry cleaning methods for decontaminating such items has been found costly, time consuming and impractical in certain situations and hence generally unsatisfactory. It has been reported from the Democratic German Republic that material exposed to the nerve agents Sarin and Soman can be effectively decontaminated by treatment with vapors of 10% aqueous ammonia solution; and ammonia and its derivatives, such as amines, were recommended as universal decontaminants. It has also been proposed to employ gaseous chlorine for deactivating such chemical agents but the results produced are deficient for various reasons.

An object of the present invention is to provide a process for deactivating nerve and blister agents at a rapid rate in gaseous or non-gaseous phase.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process for rapidly decontaminating clothing and other items exposed to such chemical agents without serious adverse effect on the mechanical properties of such items.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process whereby large quantities of clothing and other items contaminated with such chemical agents can be rapidly and safely decontaminated in a practical manner.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description of this invention.

SUMMARY AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention these objects can be accomplished by contacting nerve and blister agents with a gaseous oxidant selected from the group consisting of ozone and chlorine dioxide. The agents are thereby rapidly oxidized and converted to non-toxic products within a few minutes.

The nerve and blister agents can be treated either in the gaseous or liquid state and in the presence or absence of a substrate, such as fabrics made of cotton, rayon, wool, nylon and polyester, natural and synthetic polymers, leather, elastomers such as natural and synthetic rubber, sealants, etc.

The gaseous oxidants of the present invention are of relatively low moleular weight and possess great penetrating and permeating power into materials such as clothing and accessories and especially masses of such materials. Large quantities of clothing and other items contaminated with nerve or blister agent can be rapidly decontaminated in the field in a practical and effective manner by contacting the items with ozone or chlorine dioxide in a closed container, such as a metal tank or polyethylene tent.

The gaseous oxidants can be employed alone or in mixture with another gas or vapor, such as air or steam. These gaseous oxidants are effective in low concentrations. For example, by employing a mixture of about 1000 ppm. chlorine dioxide and about 15 ppm. mustard gas simulant in air at room temperature, a total deactivation of the simulant resulted in two minutes. The amount of gaseous oxidant of this invention required to deactivate nerve agents and blister agents varies according to the amount and nature of such chemical agent to be decontaminated.

The oxidants of the present invention, ozone and chlorine dioxide, are effective for deactivating/decontaminating nerve agents and blister agents generally. Examples of nerve agents include Sarin, Soman and VX. A typical formula for a nerve agent (VX) is as follows, viz ##STR1## Examples of blister agents include mustard (HD) and Lewisite (L).

The process of the present invention is advantageous because ozone and chlorine dioxide can be readily generated, are rapidly effective at very low concentrations and are readily removable from the decontaminated materials because they are gases. Further, they are non-corrosive and do not seriously degrade the mechanical properties of the decontaminated materials, which is important since it is essential that the structural and mechanical properties of military items, such as clothing, subjected to decontamination processes be retained as much as possible. Ozone is preferred, since it is a more powerful decontaminating gas and can be readily generated in the field by ultra violet radiation or glow discharge.

The invention is illustrated in the following examples, wherein for safety considerations half-mustard, 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, was employed as the simulant for mustard gas bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide, (agent HD) and ethyl methylphosphorofluoridate was used as the simulant for G agent, methyl isopropylphosphorofluoridate (Sarin). These simulants were selected because they are relatively non-toxic to humans and because they possess similar properties and imitate reasonably closely the response of the live nerve and blister agents. The properties of each agent and its simulant are set forth in Table 1.

Ozone, chlorine, bromine, chlorine dioxide, ammonia and other reactive gases were tested for their efficacy to deactivate the simulants in the gas phase. The more effective reactive gases were also tested for their effectiveness for decontaminating protective clothing and other military field items impregnated with the simulants. In addition, the effect of the reactive gas treatment on the material properties of the various military clothing and other items was evaluated. The military items are described in Table 2.

GAS PHASE DEACTIVATION OF SIMULANTS

The tests were carried out by injecting the reactive gas into a highly agitated dispersion of the simulant in air at room temperature and analyzing the agitated gas system to determine the reduction of simulant concentration with time by means of an infrared gas analyzer.

The test results are set forth in Tables 3 and 4, which show that ozone, chlorine dioxide, chlorine and bromine were the most effective gases employed in the gas phase deactivation of the nerve and blister agent simulants.

TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________Comparison of Agent and Simulant Agent Simulant Agent Simulant__________________________________________________________________________Name Sarin Ethyl methylphosphorofluoridate mustard (HD) 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfideStructure F(CH.sub.3).sub.2 CHOPOCH.sub.3 FCH.sub.3 OPOC.sub.2 H.sub.5 (ClCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.2 S ClCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 SCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3State at 25.degree. C. liquid -- liquid liquidBoiling point, .degree.C. 147 -- 227 156Vapor pressure at 2.20 -- 0.07 3.2020.degree. C., mmHg__________________________________________________________________________ TABLE 2______________________________________Material Items Evaluated During ProgramMaterialidentification MilitaryNo. serial No. Description______________________________________B485-2-1 8415-00- outer cloth of chemical-protective suit 407-1063B485-2-2 8415-00- carbon urethane layer of chemical- 407-1063 protective suitB485-2-4 8415-01- trouser of camouflage material 084-1718B485-2-6 8415-01- coat of camouflage material 084-1651B485-2-8 8430-01- chemical-protective footwear covers 021-5978B485-2-10 8415-01- chemical-protective glove set 033-5978B485-2-12 8305-00- textile webbing 148-9740B485-2-14 -- butyl-coated clothB485-2-16 -- Nomex clothB485-2-18 -- canvas______________________________________ TABLE 3______________________________________Gas-Phase Reactivity of Candidate Gases with Half-Mustard % Initial Elapsed Final Re-Candidate Gas, simulant, time, simulant, duc-gas ppm ppm min ppm tion______________________________________Ammonia 1000 21.12 38 18.73 11Methylamine .sup. N/T.sup.aEthylamine N/TDimethylamine 1000 13.55 10 14.59 0Ozone N/TChlorine 1000 14.02 1 0 100Bromine 1000 15.41 3 0 100Chlorine Dioxide 1095 15.25 2 0 100Hydrogen Sulfide 1000 25.40 89 18.34 28EthanethiolC-.sup.bDimercaprol 975 15.25 14 14.39 6Propionaldehyde 1071 21.01 16 20.82 1Formaldehyde 1205 14.65 17 14.06 4Ethylene Oxide 1000 19.83 73 18.72 11______________________________________ .sup.a "N/T" = not tested. .sup.b C-" = retention time of ethanethiol interfered with reading of halfmustard concn. TABLE 4______________________________________Gas-Phase Reactivity of Candidate Gases with Nerve Simulant % Initial Elapsed Final Re-Candidate Gas, simulant, time, simulant, duc-gas ppm ppm min ppm tion______________________________________Ammonia 1180 0.281 25 0.281 0Methylamine N/T.sup.aEthylamine N/TDimethylamine 1180 0.285 25 0.259 9Ozone 0.120 0.122 25 0.014 88Chlorine 10000 0.274 35 0.134 51Bromine N/TChlorine Dioxide 790 0.133 30 0.085 36Hydrogen Sulfide 10.sup.6 0.176 25 0.136 22.7Ethanethiol 1787 0.154 30 0.126 18Dimercaprol N/TPropionaldehyde 1830 0.127 30 0.127 0Formaldehyde 1760 0.166 25 0.166 0Ethylene Oxide 5000 0.172 25 0.172 0______________________________________ .sup.a "N/T" = not tested.

DECONTAMINATION OF MILITARY MATERIALS

Samples of each military material were cut into one inch squares and each sample was placed in a 50 cc serum vial, which was then sealed. The samples and controls were carried out in triplicate. Each sample and control was inoculated with the liquid simulant by means of a hypodermic syringe, which was employed to penetrate the vial septum and apply the simulant directly onto the surface of the test samples as well as the control samples. The materials were then allowed to equilibrate for one hour, after which the control samples were extracted with either 5 mL of cyclohexane or 5 mL of methanol. The test samples were removed from the vial and placed in a larger exposure chamber containing the decontaminating gas at a specified concentration. After a one hour exposure period the test samples were degassed by venting the exposure chamber and then extracted in the same manner as the control samples. The concentration of simulant in the extract was determined by gas chromatography (GC).

Tables 5 to 8 set forth the test results comparing the effectiveness of the gases to decontaminate the various military items contaminated with the simulants, as measured by the reduction in active extractable simulant. The tables indicate the types of material used, the amounts and types of simulants and decontaminating gas employed and the reduction in simulant concentration after the one hour exposure period.

The results show that ozone was generally highly effective for decontaminating material contaminated with either blister agent or nerve agent simulant, while chlorine dioxide was generally similarly effective for decontaminating material containing blister agent simulant but less effective for decontaminating material containing nerve agent simulant. The results also show that ozone and chlorine dioxide are significantly superior to chlorine and bromine for deactivating the agent simulants. Thus, as is evident from Table 6, approximately 0.6.times.10.sup.-6 moles of chlorine dioxide and approximately 8.times.10.sup.-6 moles of ozone were effective for deactivating 8.55.times.10.sup.-6 moles of agent simulant, whereas approximately 6.times.10.sup.-4 moles of chlorine and approximately 1.times.10.sup.-4 moles of bromine were required to deactivate the same amount of agent simulant, as shown in Table 5.

EFFECT OF DECONTAMINATING GASES ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MILITARY CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS

To determine the effect of the reactive gas treatment on the decontaminated items, the fabric samples were exposed to the reactive gases under conditions similar to those used to accomplish effective decontamination of samples contaminated with the aforesaid simulants. The samples were then degassed and the mechanical properties of the gas treated items and corresponding untreated items were determined by means of an Instron Model TMS instrument. The results are set forth in Tables 9 and 10 which indicate the type of material treated, the type and concentration level of decontaminating gas employed, and the reduction in tensile strength of the material resulting from the gas treatment. A comparison of the data set forth in these tables shows that the treatment with ozone did not seriously affect the strength of the clothing and other materials treated.

TABLE 5__________________________________________________________________________Effectiveness of Chlorine and Bromine in DecontaminatingMaterials Spiked with Half-MustardMaterial Amount of decontaminating gas, Decontamination effectivenessidentification Amount of simulant, moles .times. 10.sup.4 reduction in simulant, ExposureNo. moles .times. 10.sup.6 Cl.sub.2 Br.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 Br.sub.2 period,__________________________________________________________________________ hrB485-2-1 8.55 5.97 1.16 100 100 1B485-2-2 8.55 5.97 1.16 25 91 1B485-2-4 8.55 5.97 1.16 100 100 1B485-2-6 8.55 5.97 1.16 100 100 1B485-2-8 8.55 5.97 1.16 73 75 1B485-2-10 8.55 5.97 1.16 56 40 1B485-2-12 8.55 5.97 1.16 77 100 1B485-2-14 8.55 5.97 1.16 67 85 1B485-2-16 8.55 5.97 1.16 92 100 1B485-2-18 8.55 5.97 1.16 92 100 1__________________________________________________________________________ TABLE 6__________________________________________________________________________Effectiveness of Chlorine Dioxide and Ozone in DecontaminatingMaterials Spiked with Half-MustardMaterial Amount of decontaminating gas, Decontamination effectivenessidentification Amount of simulant, moles .times. 10.sup.6 reduction in simulant, ExposureNo. moles .times. 10.sup.6 ClO.sub.2 O.sub.3 ClO.sub.2 O.sub.3 period,__________________________________________________________________________ hrB485-2-1 8.55 0.614 8.21 100 100 1B485-2-2 8.55 0.614 8.21 50 6.6 1B485-2-4 8.55 0.614 8.21 100 100 1B485-2-6 8.55 0.614 8.21 100 100 1B485-2-8 8.55 0.614 8.21 100 92 1B485-2-10 8.55 0.614 8.21 100 84 1B485-2-12 8.55 0.614 8.21 .sup. --.sup.a 100 1B485-2-14 8.55 0.614 8.21 -- 100 1B485-2-16 8.55 0.614 8.21 -- 100 1B485-2-18 8.55 0.614 8.21 -- 93 1__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.a "--" = not evaluated. TABLE 7__________________________________________________________________________Effectiveness of Chlorine Dioxide and Ozone in DecontaminatingMaterials Spiked with G-AnalogMaterial Amount of decontaminating gas, Decontamination effectivenessidentification Amount of simulant, moles .times. 10.sup.6 reduction in simulant, ExposureNo. moles .times. 10.sup.5 ClO.sub.2 O.sub.3 ClO.sub.2 O.sub.3 period,__________________________________________________________________________ hrB485-2-1 1 0.614 8.21 33 92 1B485-2-2 1 0.614 8.21 68 8.3 1B485-2-4 1 0.614 8.21 13 91 1B485-2-6 1 0.614 8.21 13 91 1B485-2-8 1 0.614 8.21 37 92 1B485-2-10 1 0.614 8.21 51 58 1B485-2-12 1 0.614 8.21 0 89 1B485-2-14 1 0.614 8.21 18 100 1B485-2-16 1 0.614 8.21 39 100 1B485-2-18 1 0.614 8.21 47 42 1__________________________________________________________________________ TABLE 8__________________________________________________________________________Effectiveness of Chlorine and Bromine in DecontaminatingMaterials Spiked with G-AnalogMaterial Amount of decontaminating gas, Decontamination effectivenessidentification Amount of simulant, moles .times. 10.sup.4 reduction in simulant, ExposureNo. moles .times. 10.sup.5 Cl.sub.2 Br.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 Br.sub.2 period,__________________________________________________________________________ hrB485-2-1 1 4.08 1.16 27 59 1B485-2-2 1 4.08 1.16 0 0 1B485-2-4 1 4.08 1.16 16 19 1B485-2-6 1 4.08 1.16 16 19 1B485-2-8 1 4.08 1.16 75 89 1B485-2-10 1 4.08 1.16 77 94 1B485-2-12 1 4.08 1.16 0 12 1B485-2-14 1 4.08 1.16 --.sup.a -- --B485-2-16 1 4.08 1.16 13 71 1B485-2-18 1 4.08 1.16 44 48 1__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.a "--" = not evaluated. TABLE 9__________________________________________________________________________Effect of Candidate Gases on Tensile Strength of Combat Materials10,000 ppm Cl.sub.2, 1 hr 10,000 ppm Cl.sub.2, 16 hr 100,000 ppm Cl.sub.2, 1 hr 10,000 ppm Br.sub.2, 1 8 ppm O.sub.3, 40 minSample No. Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD__________________________________________________________________________B425-2-1 7,090 202 .sup. N/T.sup.a -- 11,490 540 6,580 466 3,768 109B485-2-2 980 16 N/T -- 1,130 37 984 146 821 68B485-2-4 9,390 223 10,380 575 N/T -- 12,010 1,168 11,313 503B485-2-6 9,390 223 N/T -- N/T -- 12,010 1,168 -- --B485-2-8 1,300 101 N/T -- N/T -- 1,300 43 1,006 42B485-2-10 1,640 84 N/T -- 1,520 120 1,560 33 1,419 240B485-2-12 50,000 2,133 N/T -- N/T -- 48,670 2,800 48,862 1,606B485-2-14 8,110 831 N/T -- N/T -- 8,170 562 10,752 689B485-2-16 14,910 830 N/T -- 8,960 1,360 14,610 507 7,994 147B485-2-18 8,920 206 8,600 873 7,700 634 7,780 631 6,434 303__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.1 "N/T" = not tested. TABLE 10__________________________________________________________________________Mechanical Properties of Untreated MaterialsNotebook Serial Density, Fiber count Tensile strength, psiNo. No. Description oz/yd.sup.2 warp fill warp fill__________________________________________________________________________B485-2-1 8415-00- Outer cloth-layer of 5.93 50 88 7230 13650 407-1063 chemical-protective suitB485-2-2 8415-01- Carbon/urethane layer 7.89 --.sup.a --.sup.a 1110 --.sup.a 084-1063 of protective suitB485-4 8415-01- Camouflaged pants 7.77 56 88 11730 14400 084-1718B485-6 8415-01- Camouflaged coat 7.77 56 88 11730 14400 084-1651B485-8 8430-01- Chemical-protective 0.59.sup.b --.sup.a --.sup.a 1170 --.sup.a 021-5978 footwear coversB485-10 8415-01- Chemical-protective 0.65.sup.b --.sup.a --.sup.a 1730 --.sup.a 033-5978 glove setB485-12 8305-00- Textile webbing --.sup.a --.sup.a --.sup.c --.sup.a 148-9740B485-14 -- Butyl-covered cloth 8.99 --.sup.d --.sup.d 8430 8760B485-16 -- Nomex cloth 14.87 68 48 13010 10810B485-18 -- Canvas 17.40 24 28 9150 6780__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.a No warp or fill. .sup.b A solid material. The units are oz/in.sup.3. .sup.c The fiber the webbing is made of was tested. .sup.d No fiber count could be taken. The length of the fiber roll was called warp.

Claims

1. In an improved process of decontaminating large quantities of protective clothing without substantially degrading said clothing, said clothing having been exposed to chemical warfare simulants, comprising: contacting said clothing for penetration and permeation with chlorine dioxide, a gaseous decontaminant, and degassing said decontaminant from said clothing.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said clothing is made of a material or mixture selected from the group consisting of cotton, rayon, wool, nylon, polyester, natural polymers, synthetic polymers, leather, elastomers, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and sealants.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said chemical warfare simulants are 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide and ethyl methylphosphorofluoridate.