Recent events in Syria and Malaysia are a grim reminder that chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) continue to be used against both warfighters and civilians. CWAs and TICs range from very persistent and oily liquids, to relatively high vapor pressure gases and liquids that pose significant inhalation hazards. Unfortunately, this broad range of chemical properties makes remediation challenging. Zirconium hydroxide (Zr(OH)4) is a promising reactive sorbent for sequestering and decontaminating TICs and CWAs. The reactivity of zirconium hydroxide nanoparticles originates from their amorphous nature, which yields numerous defect sites with reactivity to CWAs such as Sarin and VX. However, these defect sites also interact with common atmospheric components such as CO2, SO2, and NO2 to form surface-bound adsorbates. The impact of such adsorbates on CWA and TIC decomposition is poorly understood. Furthermore, urban environments, where the majority of chemical attacks occur, usually have elevated levels of these atmospheric components and thus great potential for poisoning zirconium hydroxide. In this work, a suite of spectroscopic methods, including in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, are utilized to elucidate the surface chemistry of zirconium hydroxide nanoparticles dosed with CO2, SO2, and NO2 in real-time. The contaminated zirconium hydroxide is then dosed with Sarin, a highly lethal nerve agent, to determine the adsorbates’ impact on CWA decomposition.

Are urban environmental contaminants beneficial or detrimental to chemical warfare agent destruction on zirconium hydroxide nanoparticles?

2019 Spring National Meeting

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