Magnesium Aluminate Nanoparticles for Chemical Detoxification of Sarin and Soman

The solutions of Mg(NO3)2, Al(NO3)3, and (NH4)2CO3 were mixed at pH 8 and then heated at 95 °C for 4 h, aged at room temperature for 16 h, and calcined at 650 °C for 4 h to obtain magnesium aluminate nanoparticles. The obtained materials exhibited spinel structure with the particle size being 6 to 26 nm. The nanoparticles demonstrated type IV nitrogen adsorption isotherm, typical of mesoporosity with a surface area of 325 m2/g. They were utilized for studies on chemical detoxification of deadly chemical warfare agents such as sarin and soman. Our results showed that the magnesium aluminate nanoparticles effectively decontaminated more than 99% of sarin and soman within 8–10 min when used at a ratio of 1:50–60% w/w.

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Development of a method for derivatization of ethanolamines and its application to sand samples

Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society ◽

10.2298/jsc210312047r ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 47-47

Author(s):

Tomas Rozsypal

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Gas Chromatography ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Degradation Products ◽

Chemical Warfare Agents ◽

Rapid Identification ◽

Chemical Warfare ◽

Temperature Calibration ◽

Nitrogen Mustards ◽

Warfare Agents

Nitrogen mustards are dangerous and available blistering chemical warfare agents. In the presented study, six derivatization methods are compared for the analysis of degradation products of the most important blistering nitrogen mustards (ethyl diethanolamine, methyl diethanolamine and triethanolamine) by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Five silylation methods (using BSTFA and BSA) and one trifluoroacetylation method (using TFAA) were tested. The derivatization reactions were performed in acetonitrile. As the method with optimal results, trifluoroacetylation by TFAA was selected. Analytes reacted with the corresponding reagent rapidly, quantitatively, with stable kinetics and at room temperature. Calibration curves for quantitative analysis of ethanolamines after TFAA derivatization were created. Correspond-ing detection limits varied between 9?10-3 and 7?10-5 mmol?dm-3 for the tested analytes. The developed method was applied for the analysis of ethanolamines after extraction from sand using acetonitrile. Limits of detection were 11.4 to 12.3 ?g of the analyte in 1 g of sand. It is encouraged to use the developed method in military deployable laboratories designated for rapid identification of chemical warfare agents and corresponding degradation products.

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Degradation of GD and VX over Oxides Mixing with Bleaching Powder

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.616-618.1702 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 616-618 ◽

pp. 1702-1706

Author(s):

Lian Yuan Wang ◽

Hai Yan Zhu ◽

Zhen Xing Cheng ◽

Meng Meng Ma ◽

Jing Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Room Temperature ◽

Surface Acidity ◽

Chemical Warfare Agents ◽

Chemical Warfare ◽

Acid Base ◽

Base Property ◽

Bleaching Powder ◽

Ethyl Methyl ◽

Warfare Agents ◽

Acid Base Property

Nanosize oxides with acidic or basic sites could neutralize the droplets of chemical warfare agents. Refined bleaching powder was added to increase the reactivity of the nanosize oxides for degradation of GD(3,3-dimethyl-2-butyl methylphophonofluoridate or Soman) and VX(O-ehtyl S-2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methyl-phosphonothioate). It was found that all the studied decontaminant powders exhibited room-temperature reactivity for GD and VX droplets which depends on their surface acid–base property. Decontaminant powders with basicity like nanosize MgO have the best activity towards GD and the degradation rate was improved obviously for N-MgO due to the adding of refined bleaching powder. However, surface acidity was very important for neutralizing VX over the decontaminant powders.

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