The Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment has selected four alternative methods to incineration for the disposal of the nation's chemical weapons stockpile.The processes currently being tested and studied are:
Neutralization and Supercritical Water Oxidation
After freezing and cracking open the munitons with liquid nitrogen, the nerve agent is removed and chemically neutralized with water or caustic acid. The remaining liquid is crystallized with high temperature (705° Fahrenheit) and pressure (3,205 psi).
The water used in the process is recycled and the evaporate inorganic salt and residue is taken to a hazardous waste landfill.
The remaining metal parts from the munitions are decontaminated in a heated furnace and can be recycled.
The Army is building pilot plants in Newport, Ind., and Aberdeen, Md. Because of the high temperature and pressure used, the equipment has experienced problems with corrosion, subsequently clogging the system.
Neutralization and Supercritical Water Oxidation with Gas Phase Chemical Reduction
After using supercritical water oxidation, this alternative technology proposes heating the metals, solids and dunnage in a hydrogen chamber at 1000° Fahrenheit for at least 15 minutes.
The water is recycled and the waste is taken to a hazardous waste landfill.
Neutralization Biodegradation
A high-pressure wash removes agent and explosives from the munitions. Mustard agent is then destroyed with water and the explosives with a caustic acid. Microbes feed on the remaining slurry. Gases and vapors would pass through a device similar to an automobile's catalytic converter. After the process is finished, the residue of inorganic salts is taken to a hazardous waste landfill. The remaining metal parts from the munitons are steam treated and recycled as scrap metal.
This process has not proven completely effective in destroying GB and VX nerve agents.
Silver II Method
In this technology, a high-pressure wash removes the nerve agent and explosives from the munition. Once separated, the three parts are placed in a chemical bath of nitric acid. An electrical charge is applied to the bath, creating silver II ions which break apart the nerve agent's chemical bonds.
The waste is contained and tested to ensure no agent is present before its release. The metal parts can be recycled.
The Silver II method operates at 190° Fahrenheit and close to atmospheric pressure.
