Chemists from the US Army have developed a family of extremely powerful cleaning agents that could be used to treat contaminated sites where terrorist attacks were carried out. The new materials are strong enough to get rid of nerve gas, mustard gas, radioactive materials and even anthrax bacteria. The great innovation - they are non-toxic to humans and are based on chemical ingredients found in food products, cosmetics and other household consumer products.
Researcher George Wagner and his colleagues explained that chlorine- and borate-based disinfectants have serious drawbacks. In addition to being dangerous, they may react with chemical warfare agents and substances in the environment to obtain toxic products. When the army has to clear a large area, the dispersal cloud can harm people and the environment. To solve the problem, US Army scientists developed a new composition of materials used as a means of purification.
The main ingredients in the new material (Decon Green) are superoxides, peroxides, the same substances found in many household cleaners and disinfectants as well as toothpastes.
To further increase their effectiveness, superoxides are mixed with bicarbonates (baking soda, bicarbonates) or other non-toxic bases. This combination yields proxy anions - highly active ions capable of purifying almost anything. This ensures that chemical warfare agents, such as nerve gas, will be completely disintegrated.
The researchers describe how they put the new disinfectants through an extensive series of tests. The research team concluded that the material is actually capable of breaking down toxic chemicals, and not just diluting and washing them away. In addition, they showed that the material is quite effective in destroying anthrax spores and removing the radioactive metals cesium and cobalt from a smooth surface. One of the tested compositions is able to operate even at sub-zero temperatures. One composition is obtained in powder form, which can be easily transported and mixed with water at the contaminated site itself. All the ingredients in the innovative material, except for one of them, are found in food products, cosmetics and hygiene products or in vitamin pills.
