Enhanced thermal degradation of 2,2′-dichlorodiethyl sulfide (sulfur mustard, HD) with the presence of metal oxides

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Thermal degradation of sulfur mustard (2,2′-dichlorodiethyl sulfide, HD) in the presence of metal oxide adsorbents was investigated by thermal desorption in conjunction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Zr(OH)₄, Al₂O₃, Al₂CoO₄, MgO, CeO₂, and V₂O₅ were used as metal oxide adsorbents. Neat HD was spiked onto the metal oxides packed in glass tubes, which were kept at room temperature and then heated at moderately elevated temperatures of 100°C by a thermal desorption system. The products of thermal degradation were directly transferred and analyzed by GC-MS. 1,4-Dithiane and 1,4-oxathiane were characterized as the major products of the thermal degradation of HD in the presence of Zr(OH)₄, Al₂O₃, Al₂CoO₄, and CeO₂ adsorbents. No effective degradation was observed with MgO and V₂O₅. Of particular note is Zr(OH)₄, which extremely enhanced the thermal degradation of HD.

KEYWORDS:

• Sulfur mustard
• metal oxide
• thermal degradation
• 1,4-dithiane
• 1,4-oxathiane

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Yonghan Lee, Senior Researcher at the Agency for Defense Development, for assistance with identification of decomposed products of HD observed in this study, and Chemical Analysis Test and Research Lab for the synthesis of HD.