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Title: Fate and control of blistering chemical warfare agents in Kuwait`s desalination industry

Abstract

Kuwait, as most of the other states located along the Western shores of the Arabian Gulf, relies upon the Gulf as its main drinking water resource via desalination. In case of seawater contamination with blistering chemical warfare agents, traces of the agents and/or degradation products in the finished water might pose a serious health hazard. The objective of the present review is to study the potential contamination, transport, fate, effect and control of blistering chemical warfare agents (CWAs), in the Kuwaiti desalination industry. In general, all the environmental factors involved in the aquatic degradation of CWAs in Kuwait marine environment except for the high salinity in case of blistering agents such as sulphur mustard, and in favor of a fast degradation process. In case of massive releases of CWAs near the Kuwaiti shorelines, turbulence resulting from tidal cycles and high temperature will affect the dissolution process and extend the toxicity of the insoluble agent. Post- and pre-chlorination during the course of seawater desalination will catalyze and significantly accelerate the hydrolysis processes of the CWAs. The heat exerted on CWAs during the power generation-desalination processes is not expected to thermally decompose them. However, the steam heat will augment the agent`s ratemore » of hydrolysis with subsequent acceleration in their rate of detoxification. Conventional pretreatment of feed seawater for reverse-osmosis desalination is theoretically capable of reducing the concentration of CWAs by coprecipitation and adsorption on flocs formed during coagulation. Prechlorination and prolonged detention in time in pretreatment units will simultaneously promote hydrolysis reactions. 50 refs.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia, Amman (Jordan)
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
535169
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Science and Global Security
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 6; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
35 ARMS CONTROL; KUWAIT; RISK ASSESSMENT; CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS; DESALINATION PLANTS

Citation Formats

Khordagui, H K. Fate and control of blistering chemical warfare agents in Kuwait`s desalination industry. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.1080/08929889708426439.
Khordagui, H K. Fate and control of blistering chemical warfare agents in Kuwait`s desalination industry. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/08929889708426439
Khordagui, H K. 1997. "Fate and control of blistering chemical warfare agents in Kuwait`s desalination industry". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/08929889708426439.
@article{osti_535169,
title = {Fate and control of blistering chemical warfare agents in Kuwait`s desalination industry},
author = {Khordagui, H K},
abstractNote = {Kuwait, as most of the other states located along the Western shores of the Arabian Gulf, relies upon the Gulf as its main drinking water resource via desalination. In case of seawater contamination with blistering chemical warfare agents, traces of the agents and/or degradation products in the finished water might pose a serious health hazard. The objective of the present review is to study the potential contamination, transport, fate, effect and control of blistering chemical warfare agents (CWAs), in the Kuwaiti desalination industry. In general, all the environmental factors involved in the aquatic degradation of CWAs in Kuwait marine environment except for the high salinity in case of blistering agents such as sulphur mustard, and in favor of a fast degradation process. In case of massive releases of CWAs near the Kuwaiti shorelines, turbulence resulting from tidal cycles and high temperature will affect the dissolution process and extend the toxicity of the insoluble agent. Post- and pre-chlorination during the course of seawater desalination will catalyze and significantly accelerate the hydrolysis processes of the CWAs. The heat exerted on CWAs during the power generation-desalination processes is not expected to thermally decompose them. However, the steam heat will augment the agent`s rate of hydrolysis with subsequent acceleration in their rate of detoxification. Conventional pretreatment of feed seawater for reverse-osmosis desalination is theoretically capable of reducing the concentration of CWAs by coprecipitation and adsorption on flocs formed during coagulation. Prechlorination and prolonged detention in time in pretreatment units will simultaneously promote hydrolysis reactions. 50 refs.},
doi = {10.1080/08929889708426439},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/535169}, journal = {Science and Global Security},
number = 2,
volume = 6,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}