Military solvents

Most people associate the military with environmental problems rather than solutions. However, Stephen Andersen, E. Thomas Morehouse, Jr., and Alan Miller describe how the military has sped the adoption of new, environmentally friendlier technologies and, working with U.S. indnstry, has eliminated its need for ozone-depleting substances (Andersen et al., 1994). 

Even explosives must conform to regulations. Polymer bound explosives (PBXs) and Class 1.1 military propellants have been reformulated for use in the mining industry. There is a minimal waste stream (Wulfman et al., 1997). 

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations imposed on both the military and civilian sectors has created a growing demand for alternative abatement methods for a variety of hazardous compounds. One alternative, the nonthermal plasma, shows promise of providing an efficient means for the destraction of dilute concentrations of hazardous air pollutants. Promising results have been obtained for toluene, methylene chloride, and dichlorodifluoromethane in air at concentrations of a few hundred parts per million. The device has been operated at voltages up to 30 kV, pulse repetition rates up to 1.4 kHz, and flow rates up to 60 1/min (Korzekwa et al., 1998). 

An epoxy resin formulation completely free of organic solvent was applied to carbon steel coupons using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as the volatile solvent. Sleet coupons coated in this manner were compared to coupons coated with a standard military specification marine primer (MlL-P-24441) during exposure to aerated 0.5 nrl sodium chloride (NaCl). The solvent-free coating protected the steel from corrosion in this environment as well, if not better than, the solvent-based primer (Kendig et al., 1999). 

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Vluorosilicone. By fluorinating the siHcone polymer molecule it is possible to improve the solvent, fuel, and oil resistance of this already heat-resistant class of elastomers. The resulting polymers are especially useful in select automotive seals and gaskets as weU as military and downhole oilfield parts. 

The estimated use pattern of ethyl ether during 1990 was as follows solvents and military production of smokeless powder, 35% chemical synthesis and solvent extraction, 35% diesel starting fluid, 30% (21). 

Its principal military use is as a nitrating agent, either in the vapor phase or when dissolved in an inert solvent such as CCI4, for such substances as alkyl nitrites, cellulose and Nitrobenzene (Refs 2a, 8 13)... 

Tetrazene is a light yellow crystalline substance, insoluble in water and most organic solvents. The density is low under normal conditions, but on pressing can reach approximately 1 g ml-1. Tetrazene is weak as an initiating explosive, and is therefore not used alone. It has no advantages to commend it for use in commercial detonators, but does find application in the manufacture of military and other percussion caps. Like diazodinitrophenol, tetrazene does not detonate when ignited in the open, but only when ignited under confinement. 

Monomethylhydrazine is a clear, colorless liquid used extensively in military applications as a missile and rocket propellant, in chemical power sources, and as a solvent and chemical intermediate. Upon contact with strong oxidizers (e.g., hydrogen peroxide, nitrogen tetroxide, chlorine, fluorine) spontaneous ignition may occur. 

On high toxicity sites even with a very small amount of material escaping from the site, may have extreme consequences. Military Agents are high toxicity compounds which are designed to be lethal in very very small quantities. They are also extremely stable and hard to destroy. A number of industrial chemicals, particularly pesticides also fall into this category. Chlorinated solvents, PCB s and some pesticides, herbicides, and biocides fall into this category. 

Pollution of soils and waters by human activities is an important and widespread problem. This pollution by, organic and inorganic substances can affect individual organisms, human populations, and ecosystems, each in its own unique way. In particular former military installations, often used for weapons production and nuclear power plants represent a ongoing and substantial threat to environment and human health because of the specific pollutants that can be released Solvents, explosives, fuels, radionuclides, heavy metals, and metalloids all have been identified in the environment around these installations. Remediation technologies for these contaminated sites have been developed based on conventional systems utilising physical and chemical treatments, such as excavation and incineration, pump-and-treat methods, ultraviolet oxidation, soil washing, etc. 

Uses Fumigant and larvacide for tobacco, cereals, dried fruits cellulose acetate solvent military poison gases intermediate in manufacture of pharmaceuticals, hydrocyanic acid, N,N-dimethylformamide organic synthesis. 

Common hazardous wastes include (a) waste oil, (b) solvents and thinners, (c) acids and bases/alkalines, (d) toxic or flammable paint wastes, (e) nitrates, perchlorates, and peroxides, (f) abandoned or used pesticides, and (g) some wastewater treatment sludges. Special hazardous wastes include (a) industrial wastes containing the USEPA priority pollutants, (b) infectious medical wastes, (c) explosive military wastes, and (d) radioactive wastes or releases. 

A military ammunition plant in Arden Hills, Minnesota, used trichloroethylene (TCE) as a metal cleaning solvent for many years. TCE is currently beheved to be... 

On leaving their military bases in Czechoslovakia, the military of the old Soviet Union dumped all chemicals out onto the ground in an unbelievable show of disrespect. At one location, 50,000 kg of solvent was dumped out of a storage tank onto saturated soil. The solvent formed a pool on the surface that was visible for more than 2 weeks. As part of a hazard assessment, the Czech engineers need to know the total mass of benzene (one compound composing the solvent) that was evaporated into the air versus time for the 2-week period. Estimate and plot this mass. The mean depth of the pool just after the spill was 10 cm. Incorporate the diffusion of benzene into the saturated soil. Assume that there is no turbulence in the spilled pool. 

The completely substituted product is a white, granular, solid with mw 246 30 and mp 240—45° Its method of prepn was described by Hess Muller (Ref 1). The triethylcellu lose is insol in w and practically insol in methanol, etbanol acetone, but sol in dilf, pyridine, ethylene dichloride, ethyl acetate, carbon tetrachloride and many other organic solvents. This product has, however, no military or commercial application because it lacks strengths flexibility, is not thermoplastic and shows only very limited compatibility... 

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