Potassium 2, 3-butanedione monoximate

Reactive oximes and their salts, such as potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate found in commercially available RSDL, are extremely effective at rapidly detoxifying nerve agents. Some chloroisocyanurates, similar to those found in the CASCAD, are effective at detoxifying V-series agents and so is oxone, a peroxymonosulfate triple salt. 

In the open literature little is known about these agents developed in the Soviet Union. They are assessed to be five to ten times more toxic than VX (Ellison, 2008 Smithson et al, 1995). The toxicity of these binary agents does not rely primarily on the inhibition of AChE, but it is thought that it causes permanent neuropathy. Consequently, conventional nerve agent antidotes may not work. Reactive oximes such as potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate may be use fid in detoxification. No pubhshed information is available on cardiac pathologies caused by Novichok agents. 

Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) has recently been approved for procurement by the U.S. military (F-Z-EM 2007). RSDL is currently marketed by E-Z-EM, Inc. and is a patented, broad spectrum, skin decontamination lotion that is used to remove or neutralize chemical threat agents and biological warfare agents such as trichothecene mycotoxin (T2 toxin), which can cause severe skin and eye irritation. RSDL was originally developed by the Canadian Defense Research Establishment and consists of 1.25 molar potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate in poly-etheylene glycol monoethyl ethers with 10% w/v water (Sabourin et al. 2001 Lukey et al. 2004). 

RSDL. In 1995, the Canadian Defense Research Establishment at Ottawa and Suffield developed and patented a liquid skin decontaminant for CWA exposure named RSDL. RSDL is a formulation of potassium 2,3-butanedione monoxime (as free oxime and potassium salt) in a solvent of polyethylene glycol monomethylether (MPEG) of 550 nominal molecular weight with 10% w/w water (pH 10.6) (Sabourin et al., 2001 Bide et al., 2005 Material Data Safety Sheet, 2006). 

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