Decontamination coupled with dynamic adsorption of sulfur mustard (CEES) and nerve agent-sarin simulants (DMMP) on synthesized zeolite-alpha with its metal oxide composites

Abstract

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are the most feared toxic chemicals intended to debilitate the general human population and regional civilians. Therefore, prompt and urgent decontamination is needed to protect millions of lives and the associated hazardous implications. In this present study, our main goal is to evaluate the performance of Zeolite-Alpha and its various metal oxide composites as novel adsorbents for the decontamination of CWA simulants, 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), and dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP). Synthesized Zeolite-Alpha and their composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, and BET analysis techniques. The CWA simulants’ decontamination (adsorption and desorption) was monitored using GC-FID and GC-MS analysis techniques. A possible reaction mechanism toward the adsorption and destruction of CWA simulants, CEES, and DMMP was also proposed. Nanocrystalline Zeolite-Alpha and its metal oxide composites are powerful adsorbents, and they showed more significant decontamination potential toward the above CWA simulants. The Cr-O-Alpha and Ag-O-Alpha showed promising results (93–98% decontamination) among all other synthesized metal oxide composites.