Hydrolysis and biodegradation of the chemical warfare vesicant agent HT

摘要

A process for the detoxification or demilitarization of the chemical warfare agent HT, a mixture of 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl sulfide and bis-(2-(2-chloroethylthio)ethyl) ether, is disclosed. The process includes 1) treating HT with a hydrolyzing agent to form a mixture of thiodiglycol (TDG) and bis-(2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)ethyl) ether(s?) (T-OH); 2) neutralizing the TDG and T-OH mixture to a pH sufficient for biodegradation of the mixture; and biodegrading the neutralized TDG and T-OH mixture. In preferred embodiments, the hydrolyzing agent is water and the neutralizing is carried out with NAOH. Biodegradation is preferably carried out with a sequential batch reactor.