Hydrolysis of HT to biodegradable products. Final report, March-September 1996
HT is a powerful vesicant which was produced for use as a chemical warfare agent. The agent is a mixture of 60 wt% 2,2`-dichlorodiethyl sulfide (`HD` or `sulfur mustard`) and 40 wt% bis-(2-(2-chloroethylthio) ethyl) ether (T). HT reacts with water to form primarily thiodiglycol (TDG) and bis-(2-(2-hydroxyethylthio) ethyl) ether (T-OH). TDG has very low toxicity and is known to be biodegradable, whereas the toxicity and biodegradability of T-OH are unknown. For these reasons, the acidic hydrolysis of T-OH to TDG was investigated in the presence of HCl alone (resulting from the initial T hydrolysis) and HCl amended with equimolar amounts of HBr and HI. In the presence of HCl alone, TDG formation was relatively slow, whereas HBr and HI enhanced the rate of conversion of T-OH to TDG. The hydrolysis conditions studied were selected to be consistent with a subsequent biological treatment, and results suggest an approach for a combined hydrolysis/biodegradation process for HT, similar to one previously investigated for HD.
- Research Organization:
- Edgewood Research, Development and Engineering Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 464235
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A--320295/9/XAB; ERDEC-TR--376
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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