Effects of Ultrasound Power, Temperature and Flow Rate of Solvent on Decontamination of Sensitive Equipment by Extraction

Marek Andrle; František Opluštil; Josef Čáslavský

doi:10.14429/dsj.64.3887

Marek Andrle Military Research Institute Brno, Veslařská
František Opluštil Military Research Institute Brno, Veslařská
Josef Čáslavský Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.3887

Keywords: Chemical warfare agents, decontamination, sensitive equipment, extraction

Abstract

The solvent extraction process is regarded amongst other known methods to be applicable for decontamination of sensitive equipment components, especially in cases the components are contaminated in-depth with chemical warfare agents. Viability of the solvent extraction method was evaluated on coupons of butadiene rubber contaminated by sulphur mustard before decontamination by the solvent extraction. The contaminated coupons were extracted in a flow cell, which the solvent (ethoxynonafluorobutane) passed through. Three following specific operational factors, namely the temperature, the flow rate, and the power of ultrasound bath, were assessed for the extent of influencing upon the respective observed extraction efficiencies. The paper describes the results of the evaluation of the solvent extraction effectiveness.

Defence Science Journal, 2014, 64(2), pp. 168-172. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.3887

Author Biographies

Marek Andrle, Military Research Institute Brno, Veslařská

Mr Marek Andrle obtained his MSc (Environmental Analytical Chemistry) from Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry (Czech Republic) in 2007. Since 2007 he has been working as researcher in Military Research Institute Brno. At the same time he is PhD student at Brno University of Technology since 2008.

František Opluštil, Military Research Institute Brno, Veslařská

Dr František Opluštil received his PhD (Chemical Engineering) from University of Defence, Brno (Czech Republic), in 1986. He retired from Military Technical Institute of Protection, Brno, in 2012. His area of research included decontamination processes and decontaminating agents aimed at detoxification of chemical warfare agents related to defence applications. He has published tens papers in national/international journals, symposia proceedings and has four patents to his credit.

Josef Čáslavský, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova

Dr Josef Čáslavský received his PhD (Analytical Chemistry) from University of Chemical Technology in Pardubice (Czech Republic) in 1992. He joined Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, in 2005. His research interests are focused on the analysis of persistent organic pollutants by chromatographic methods and mass spectrometry, on the environmental fate of these pollutants and on passive sampling methods. He published 6 chapters in monographs and more than 50 papers in international journals.