Innovative Methods for Investigating the Fate of Chemical Warfare Agents in Soil

摘要

Surface-controlled reactions affecting hydrolysis of organic compounds in the environment can predominate over bulk solution hydrolysis, especially in soil environments. Unpredicted residual levels of chemical warfare agents (CWA) at threat levels in the field necessitated the development of new methods for investigating the fate of CWA delivered onto soil. Design and fabrication of Soil System Units now allows determination of the fate of CWA in soil, as well as investigation of the soil chemical and physical characteristics affecting the persistence of threat from continuing presence of CWA in soil, under conditions that represent those in the field. Initial results show that the Soil System Unit approach is highly effective for investigating the fate of CWA in the soil environment.