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Incineration and Thermal Treatment of Chemical Agents and Chemical Weapons

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Emerging Technologies in Hazardous Waste Management 7

Abstract

The U. S. Army has been directed by Congress to dispose of its approximately 24,800 ton stockpile of chemical weapons and chemical warfare agents (CWAs) by December 31, 2004 and has chosen to use incineration for this purpose[1]. This stockpile contains the mustard gas, blister agents H, HD, and HT, and the organophosphorus nerve agents VX and GB. On Johnston Atoll a prototype disposal facility, consisting of four separate process streams each containing a furnace, afterburner and air pollution control section, has been constructed, tested and is now operational. In spite of the fact that this facility has met all major performance goals, there is considerable opposition to the use of incineration for disposal of that portion of the stockpile stored at eight sites in the continental U.S.

In this paper we review what is known concerning the relevant chemical mechanisms for the high temperature reactions of CWAs, simulants and related compounds. Focus is placed on the reactions associated with the heteroatoms present in the agents—C1, F, N, O, P and S. While there have been few kinetics studies using either agents or their simulants, the relevant combustion literature on waste incineration (C1,F), fire suppression (C1,F) and fossil fuel combustion (S,N) contains significant information and is reviewed. In addition, conjectures are offered as to what might be important elementary reaction pathways, for both the mustard and nerve agents. It is concluded that the mustard agents, which are straight chain molecules, should react quickly in lean mixtures at high temperature giving HCI, oxides of sulfur and normal combustion products. Because of there structural complexity and the presence of P and, in the case of the nerve agent GB, of the strong P-F bond a similar conclusion for the nerve agents is not as well founded.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA

    F. C. Gouldin & E. M. Fisher

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  1. F. C. Gouldin
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  2. E. M. Fisher
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332-0100, USA

    D. William Tedder

  2. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261-2294, USA

    Frederick G. Pohland

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Gouldin, F.C., Fisher, E.M. (1997). Incineration and Thermal Treatment of Chemical Agents and Chemical Weapons. In: Tedder, D.W., Pohland, F.G. (eds) Emerging Technologies in Hazardous Waste Management 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5387-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5387-8_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7459-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5387-8

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