Biodegradation and Oxidation Approaches for the Demilitarization of VX Hydrolysate
Abstract
Under U.S. law and the terms of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the U.S. Army is required to destroy its stockpile of chemical warfare agents (30,000 tons) by April 2007. Public and political opposition to incineration lead to evaluation of several alternative technologies, including biodegradation 1. These alternatives involved an initial chemical neutralization (hydrolysis) reaction that reduces the toxicity of the agents, followed by a secondary treatment that further degrades and detoxifies the hydrolysis products, some of which are also covered by the CWC (Schedule 2) 2. Because of the recalcitrant nature of some of the products (as well as the hydrolyzed explosives/propellants that could be present), the use of advanced oxidations processes (AOP) was combined with biodegradation in a variety of configurations to determine whether complete removal and detoxification of the prohibited treaty materials could be achieved. Results using UV/Peroxide and Ozone treatments, prior to or after biodegradation of caustic hydrolyzed VX will be presented. Bioreactors evaluated included sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) and immobilized cell systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA482744
Entities
People
- Joseph J. Defrank
- Mark A. Guelta
Organizations
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center