A safe and compact flow platform for the neutralization of a mustard gas simulant with air and light. Issue 13 (6th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Emmanuel, Noémie; Bianchi, Pauline; Legros, Julien; Monbaliu, Jean-Christophe M.
• Is Part Of: Green chemistry. Volume 22:Issue 13(2020)
• Page Start: 4105
• Page End: 4115
• Publication Date: 2020-05-06
• Subjects: Environmental chemistry -- Industrial applications -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1039/d0gc01142h
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1463-9262

Abstract

Abstract : Intensified chemical neutralization of a chemical warfare agent simulant CEES with air and light under continuous flow conditions. Abstract : A low footprint, mobile, robust and frugal chemical neutralization technology is reported for the oxidative neutralization of a mustard gas simulant. It relies on the inherent properties of a highly engineered continuous flow setup and carefully optimized and simple, yet robust, experimental conditions. The neutralization protocol uses only non-toxic, widely available and cheap chemicals. The continuous flow setup integrates a singlet oxygen generator and exploits its oxidative power to neutralize 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES ), the most common thioether mustard gas simulant. The flow reactor can be connected to either pressurized oxygen or air and handles CEES as a 1 M solution in EtOH containing a trace amount (0.06 mol%) of a non-toxic and widely available photosensitizer (Methylene Blue). Upon irradiation with visible light (orange or white light), total and highly selective neutralization towards the corresponding non-toxic sulfoxide (1-chloro-2-(ethylsulfinyl)ethane, CEESO ) is obtained with reactor effluents containing less than 1% of the corresponding potentially toxic sulfone (1-chloro-2-(ethylsulfonyl)ethane, CEESO2 ). With a low footprint ( L × W × H 94 × 42 × 40 cm), this neutralization technology can be equipped on a vehicle for on-site interventions, localized at a neutralization facility or both. This experimental work is also supported with the computational rationalization of the reactivity of CEES towards singlet oxygen.