Evaluation of Silver-Exchanged Zeolites Under Development by University of Maine for Chemical Warfare Agent Decontamination Applications

• Main Authors: Brickhouse, Mark D, Lalain, Teri A, D'Onofrio, Terrence G, Procell, Lawrence R, Zander, Zachary B
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: CATALYSIS; CATALYSTS; CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS; Chemical, Biological and Radiological Warfare; DECONTAMINATION; PHOTO-CATALYSIS; SILVER ZEOLITE; TEST AND EVALUATION; ZEOLITES

This effort is for the evaluation of a non-toxic photo-catalytic decontamination technology based on silver-exchanged zeolites being developed by the University of Maine research team under the direction of Dr. Howard H. Patterson, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Maine, for the destruction of chemical warfare agents. The hypothesis under investigation is that rapid decontamination can be achieved by the interaction of agent with silver metal clusters within zeolites coupled with subsequent photo-catalytic excitation. The University of Maine program goal was to develop a decontaminant powder to use in the field; therefore, the samples were used as received without drying or modifying. In the as-received state, the samples contain zeolitic water and are considered in a hydrated state. Drying or dehydrating the samples would create a different environment. The primary objective of this test was to evaluate the decontamination efficacy for several silver-doped zeolites against chemical agents to determine the most-active zeolites with or without photo activation. Prepared in collaboration with Science Applications International Corporation, Abingdon, MD, and University of Maine.