Explosives environmental aspects

Explosives—Toxicology. 2. Explosives—Environmental aspects. I. Sunahara, Geoffrey I. (Geoffrey Isao), 1953- II. Title. 

As well as this quite obvious environmental aspect, the switch from a volatile, flammable, organic solvent to an ionic liquid may significantly improve the safety of a given process. This will be especially true in oxidation reactions in which air or pure oxygen are used as oxidants the use of common organic solvents is often restricted due to the potential formation of explosive mixtures between oxygen and... 

As a special topic, solids transport in a pilot-scale rotary kiln was studied and outlined in a paper of N. Descoins et al. Finally, two papers give examples on environmental aspects of this field. A nice overview on dust control and explosions in solids handling plants are given P. Wypych et al. with description of some own experimental results. Application... 

See also Electric Power, Generation of Environmental Problems and Energy Use Explosives and Propellants Meitner, Lise Military Energy Use, Historical Aspects of Molecular Energy Nuclear Energy Nuclear Energy, Historical Evolution of the Use of Nuclear Fission Fuel Nuclear Fusion Nuclear Waste. 

Risk avoidance often faces conflicts in objectives. In this way substance innovations for improved fire and explosion protection in the second half of the last century also made a major contribution to many environmental and health risks discussed today CFCs, PCB, chlorinated solvents, brominated flame retardants and also cutting oils in emulsion form must be mentioned at this point. This means that chemical/technical innovation originally aimed to achieve more operational safety. Additional improvements related to environmental or health aspects were not taken into account at the time of the innovation. 

The second part of the environmental impact analysis (EIA) relates to the effects of a major accident or spill within the plant. The safety aspects of an explosive gas discharge (for example) should be considered in conjunction with the loss prevention studies for the plant (Section 8.2.3). However, proposals for containment, clean-up, and discharge of major chemical spills should be part of the EIA report. Any proposals should ensure the safety of personnel, minimise the discharge and its effect on the environment, and preserve the integrity of the plant. The worst situation should be evaluated, not just the most likely scenario. Factors to be considered include the quantity and location of chemicals... 

Further criteria for the choice of a solvent are its availability, cost, toxicity, hazardousness, and other aspects of environmental acceptability. The availability of solvents on the List is summarized in Table 1.2. Other industrial solvents are dealt with where the tonnage produced and the costs are also listed (Kirk-Othmer 1997). The toxicity of the solvents and hazards due to flammability and explosiveness of their vapours in air are listed in Tables 1. 3 and 1.4, which should be regarded as general guides only, not as sources of binding data, for which the original literature about the specific solvent in question should be consulted. 

There still is a need for intensive research (Fig. 2.1) in the area of the latter aspect of new secondary explosives (and not only for those ) in terms of low toxicity and environmental impact. Conventional energetic materials (TNT, RDX), which are currently used by NATO armies for training purposes on their training grounds, have an extremely negative ecological impact, if they end up unwanted and uncontrolled in the environment as unexploded munition (UXOs = unexploded ord-... 

Recent developments are related to both batch and continuous processes, including environmental monitoring (see Chapter 18). Applications in relatively inaccessible zones such as explosive, nuclear or high-temperature containments require new specific components and a control organization, revealing the considerable repercussions on the structure of future plants. This section attempts to summarize the most significant research of the past few years on remote control of chemical processes. The new concepts, multi-point measurement techniques, associated components, and aspects of real-time measurement techniques are also examined. 

State and local governments must realize at the outset that the military lacks experience in many aspects of environmental remediation and even in munitions clearance. For example, until 1994 there was a moratorium on the excavation of chemical weapons. UXO technicians may also be unfamiliar with residual contamination from chemical and explosive weapons. Even with explosive ordnance, mistakes can occur. Recently a scrap metal worker was killed when an ordnance item that was hidden among other ordnance scrap metal exploded while being cut up for scrap with a torch. Another area where the military lacks ordnance experience is in World War I and older ordnance and in experimental ordnance. The database of the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is often incomplete in these areas. 

Most risk management professionals have a technical education—often in engineering or environmental science. Such an education provides the necessary skills to handle the technical and quantitative aspects of the work, particularly with regard to the analysis or risk, fires and explosions, and gas dispersion. 

A basic task of green chemistry is to design chemical products and processes that use and produce less hazardous materials. The term hazardous covers several aspects including toxicity, flammability, explosion potential and environmental persistence (26). 

First, a general description of the positive aspects of the chemical industry was given by using examples of essential products that this sector provides, such as detergents, paint, gasoline, and medicine. Examples of negative aspects were environmental damage, and noise. The main characteristics of these risks were then explained tire, explosion, and toxic clouds. 

The OPCW Health and Safety Office will give attention not only to chemical hazards, but to any hazard which a working environment may present to OPCW persoimel. The dangers of explosives in working areas, including unexploded ordnance, may be a particular hazard to OPCW personnel, and must receive attention in the health and safety plan for any activity. Attention will also be given to aspects such as radiation, noise, dust, mechanical, electrical and environmental hazards, the use of pressure vessels and lasers, etc. 

Environmental friendliness is of course only one important aspect to be considered. Explosives that show extraordinary properties such as stability, sensitivity, initiation efficiency, compatibility, or other properties can find their application in some special cases even though they will not meet the green criteria. Typical examples of such explosives may be the mercury salt of tetrazole or cirkon (cadmium(ll)tris-carbonohydrazide) perchlorate used in Russia [12, 13]. 

This book is intended to serve as a primer so that community residents and activists, state and federal environmental officials, environmental experts with private organizations, and military personnel can learn the basics about environmental remediation of munitions and munitions constituents. This book covers all aspects of locating munitions and constituents, except for the destruction of the munitions once found. Occasional anecdotes are included to make the book more readable and to reveal the difficulty that even experts face. This book explains the principles of munitions cleanup in simple terms for the novice and also includes complex research on chemicals, explosives, experimental ordnance, and historical information often unknown to the experts. Highly experienced personnel may find it more useful to refer to it as a technical manual rather than read it cover to cover. 

Searle, W.R, Moody, D.H., 1985. Explosive remnants of war at sea technical aspects of disposal. In Westing, A.H. (Ed.), Explosive Remnants of War, Mitigating the Environmental Effect. Sipri, Taylor Francis, London, pp. 61-69. 

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