Photochemically Reactive Surfaces for Decontamination

摘要

The objective of the project was to evaluate the application of photochemical systems to the destruction of chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants. A number of reactive species including singlet oxygen, superoxide and radicals were generated photolytically and their reaction with known CWA simulants was followed by GC-MS. By using solar simulators or low power UV (7%) lamps we were able to show removal of a mustard simulant with all three photolytic species. However, the same species were less successful with G agent and VX simulants. Only the radical approach showed some activity and this was slow and produced multiply by products. Preliminary investigation into whether these species could be prepared as photolytic reactive surfaces was initially successful, showing reactivity towards the mustard simulant. However, reactivity was determined to be due to the rate at which the surface was dissolved into the simulant, creating a homolytic solution reaction.