Further studies into the feasibility of using aqueous alum
solutions in the destruction of VX
Issue title: Sensing and Destroying Chemical Weapons and
Pesticides Based on the Symposium at the 238th American Chemical Society
Meeting Washington DC, USA, August 18–19, 2009
Affiliations: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw
State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA | Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving
Ground, Edgewood, MD, USA | SAIC, Gunpowder Branch, Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Edgewood, MD, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591, USA. E-mail:
d.william@kennesaw.edu
Abstract: The destruction of phosphorus based chemical warfare agents using
aqueous buffer mixtures of aluminum sulfate (alum) and sodium aluminate is
pursued. The production of VX
(O-ethyl-S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]-methylphos-phonothiolate) hydrolysis
products ethyl methyl phosphonic acid (EMPA), an aluminum complex of EMPA, and
S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]methylphosphonothiolate (EA-2192) is characterized
in acidic and basic alum buffers. The study employs ^{31}P
high resolution magic angle nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HRMAS NMR)
for both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The acidic buffer results in a
slower reaction rate and is less effective than the basic buffer.
