Abstract
In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been surveyed to decontaminate the chloroethyl phenyl sulfide as a sulfur mustard agent simulant. Prior to the reaction, ZnO NPs were successfully prepared through sol–gel method in the absence and presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA was utilized as a capping agent to control the agglomeration of the nanoparticles. The formation, morphology, elemental component, and crystalline size of nanoscale ZnO were certified and characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, and FT-IR techniques. The decontamination (adsorption and destruction) was tracked by the GC–FID analysis, in which the effects of polarity of the media, such as isopropanol, acetone and n-hexane, reaction time intervals from 1 up to 18 h, and different temperatures, including 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C, on the catalytic/decontaminative capability of the surface of ZnO NPs/PVA were investigated and discussed, respectively. Results demonstrated that maximum decontamination (100 %) occurred in n-hexane solvent at 55 °C after 1 h. On the other hand, the obtained results for the acetone and isopropanol solvents were lower than expected. GC–MS chromatograms confirmed the formation of hydroxyl ethyl phenyl sulfide and phenyl vinyl sulfide as the destruction reaction products. Furthermore, these chromatograms proved the role of hydrolysis and elimination mechanisms on the catalyst considering its surface Bronsted and Lewis acid sites. A non-polar solvent aids material transfer to the reactive surface acid sites without blocking these sites.
Highlights
Cl (a)The production and utilization of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) have been of great concern for worldwide community and known as a serious threat that must not be overlooked
zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were successfully prepared through sol–gel method in the absence and presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
We have proposed a simple, facile, and low cost sol–gel technique as a feasible method [11, 18, 31, 32] for the synthesis of ZnO NPs with PVA acting as both reducing agent and structure director for the catalytic decontamination of CEPS
Summary
Cl (a)The production and utilization of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) have been of great concern for worldwide community and known as a serious threat that must not be overlooked. The vexatious reports from Middle East and Syria during the last year have depicted the crisis of CWAs usage namely sulfur mustard and phosphorus nerve agents by terrorist organizations. These CWAs are cheap and easy to manufacture. One of the main challenges for the decontamination of HD and its analogues is their permanency which makes them extremely hazardous. Being exposed to these compounds commonly brings about blistering of the skin and mucous membranes. They are socalled vesicants or blistering agents [3]
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