The destruction of chemical warfare surrogates and subsequent phosphorus distribution during gasification

Abstract

The ChemChar process enables gasification of a wide variety of liquid and sludge wastes on a readily handled macroporous granular char. The process produces combustible gas products, largely retains metals and halides on the char matrix, and effectively destroys organohalides without producing SO_X, NO_X, chlorinated dibenzodioxins or chlorinated dibenzoflirans (which can occur with incineration). To study chemical warfare agent wastes under gasification conditions, the destruction removal efficiencies (DRE) of the chemical warfare surrogates parathion and diethylchlorothiophosphate were determined. DREs of > 99.9996 % and > 99.99998 % were found for parathion and diethylchlorothiophosphate, respectively. Additionally, a study of the distribution of radiolabeled phosphorus (P‐32) after gasification of parathion and tributylphosphate showed essentially complete retention of the phosphorus within the gasification system. This study illustrates that the ChemChar gasification process holds significant promise as an alternative to incineration for the safe and complete destruction of chemical warfare agent wastes.

Key words:

• Gasification
• chemical warfare agent
• phosphorus
• hazardous waste