Abstract
The direct immobilization and destruction of two compounds relevant to chemical warfare agents, ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA) and thiodiglycol (TDG), within a freshly mixed Portland cement pas...
Highlights
The safe destruction and disposal of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) is a major concern, given their highly toxic nature
This study looks at the effects of the VX degradation product ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA), and the HD degradation product TDG, on the setting mechanisms and phase formation within Portland cement, to determine whether direct cement encapsulation and destruction of CWAs may be a viable prospect
The addition of EMPA to the cement resulted in a vigorous immediate reaction, causing bubbling and releasing appreciable amounts of heat in the process
Summary
The safe destruction and disposal of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) is a major concern, given their highly toxic nature. This study aims to determine whether some of these agents might be disposed directly within a cement matrix. This could provide a field-deployable flexible system, which could operate on a small scale and be moved to wherever required, including potential operation under adverse environments. Cements and grouts can be used to immobilize a wide range of hazardous materials They are a mature technology for immobilization of toxic and radioactive wastes, with extensive usage for encapsulation of both liquid and solid waste streams over more than 50 years.[3,4] These wasteforms produce stable monoliths, maintain a high internal pH, are robust to waste variability, and can enable remote processing.[5,6]
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