Decontaminant , chemical

Besides these speciaUy-designed decontaminants and kits there are a number of commercially available materials that wiU partiaUy decontaminate chemical agents. Such materials are Hsted in the US. Army Yield Manual FM 3 —5, NBC Decontamination. 

This section introduces the chemical reduction/oxidation process (Redox), its applica-hihty, limitations, and performance for site remediation involving both soil cleaning and groundwater decontamination. Chemical reduction/oxidation (Redox process) chemically converts hazardous contaminants to nonhazardous or less-toxic compounds that are more stable, less mobile, and/or inert. The oxidizing agents most commonly used are ozone, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide (50-59). 

Contamination of the samples can occur during sampling, storage, decontamination, chemical processing and during analysis. Sources of Pb include aerosols. 

Cover Decontaminated chemical munitions and containers at Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System. Photographs for composite image courtesy of Colin Drury. 

One problem the Johnston Atoll facility did experience was some schedule slippage because of maintenance downtime. This was due to technical and mechanical problems with various equipment and the need for more training of certain personnel. These problems did not affect the Army s ability to destroy or decontaminate chemical weapons within EPA s standards—-just the rate at which destruction occurred. 

To reflect the changes in concept and equipment, the army s field manuals were also rewritten and updated to incorporate chemical warfare readiness into the army s air-land battle doctrine. The five parts of the new doctrine called for contamination avoidance, individual and collection protection, decontamination, chemical weapons employment, and the deliberate use of smoke. 

BIOLOGICAL AGENT DECONTAMINATION Chemical Method Physical Method... 

Gel carrier for vertical surfaces Surfactant-based Decontamination Solution Quaternary Ammonium Complex Decontaminant Chemical/UV decontamination method... 

Nanotechnology may also play a role in development of non-caustic decontamination treatments. Most non-caustic decontamination chemicals exhibit slower reaction rates with agents than the caustic chemicals such as bleach or sodium hydroxide. To make up for this difference, liquid decontaminants will need to be finely and imiformly atomized to ensure efficient conversion to vapor which will facilitate penetration into all contaminated areas whereas solid, particulate decontaminants will need to be very small to allow for... 

Blister and nerve agents can be destroyed using saturated methanolic solutions of sodium or potassium hydroxide. Decontaminated chemical warfare agents must be disposed of in an environmentally approved method according to local legislation. 

Suppressing NATO s nuclear capabilities which are widely dispersed over Western Europe in air bases and supply depots is another major Soviet priority. Should nuclear weapons be withheld, persistent chemical agents, such as thickened soman, delivered by SCUD missiles, could be extremely effective. After a few repeated strikes, these bases could be rendered inoperative for an extended period of time or reduced in readiness as time was consumed in elaborate decontamination. Chemical weapons could also be employed in fulfilling another basic principle of Soviet operations, namely attacks upon the enemy throughout the entire depth of this deployment . Die targets would include air bases, command, control and communication facilities, harbours, airports and other transportation centres. 

Disinfection, sanitisation, decontamination, chemical sterilisation, are only a few terms for these processes. Disinfection, defined as removal, destruction or de-activation of micro-organisms on objects or surfaces, is the term of preference in this book. 

June 27, 1972 (UN-lOO-N-5) - An unplanned release occurred from a leak in the piping between the recirculation pump and the 116-N-2 tank. Evidence indicated that a failure occurred in the underground section of this pipe, causing discharge of approximately 340,000 L (90,000 gal) of radioactive chemical waste to the ground. The low-level radioactive wastewater contained decontamination chemicals used in the decontamination of the N Reactor primary loop. The waste contained 35 Ci of activity, 26 Ci of which were Co. 

Free acid present in equipment requires neutralization as well as washing and a five percent solution of sodium carbonate (soda ash) is used for this purpose. Because of the uncertainty of complete removal of explosives in all cases by the physical methods described, chemical methods are used also to supplement these. Standard decontamination procedures include the decontaminating chemical shown by table 15-4. 

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