WO2013091843A1

WO2013091843A1 - Detoxicant for neutralizing chemical and/or biological weapons on surfaces

Info

Publication number: WO2013091843A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/005248
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thilo Schuppler
Original assignee: Owr Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-12-23
Filing date: 2012-12-19
Publication date: 2013-06-27
Also published as: DE102011122154A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a detoxicant for neutralizing chemical and/or biological weapons on vertical or inclined surfaces, comprising a mixture of at least one superabsorbent and a neutralizing fluid. The neutralizing fluid preferably comprises an enzyme or a mixture of two or more different enzymes in aqueous solution.

Description

DETOXIFICANT FOR THE NEUTRALIZATION OF CHEMICAL AND / OR BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS ON SURFACES

The invention relates to a detoxifying agent for the neutralization of chemical and / or biological warfare agents on surfaces according to the preamble of claim 1.

From EP 1 802 377 Bl a neutralizing liquid for decontamination of objects and surfaces is known, which by chemical or biological

Warfare agents were contaminated. The detoxification solution contains from 0.1 to 50

Weight percent of a Friedel-Crafts reagent, 1 to 80 weight percent of a

alcoholic solvent and 0.5 to 80 weight percent of dimethylsulfoxide, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone or octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane as a specific solvent.

Furthermore, DE 10 2004 044 622 A1 discloses a neutralization liquid based on sodium or potassium aminoethoxide, which has a comparable effect.

Although the above-described neutralizing liquids a good

Have neutralization effect, resulting in the application of the problem that the exposure time on inclined or vertical surfaces, as they are always found in objects, buildings and vehicles usually only comparatively short, since the neutralizing liquid due to their low viscosity of running down the land to the ground.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a neutralizing agent which enables efficient neutralization even on sloped surfaces contaminated by a chemical or biological substance, in particular a warfare agent.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further features are described in the subclaims. According to the invention, a detoxifying agent for neutralizing chemical and / or biological agents on surfaces contains a mixture of at least one superabsorbent and a neutralizing liquid.

As a neutralization liquid, according to a first embodiment of the invention, in particular the neutralization liquids described previously in EP 1 802 377 B1 or also in DE 10 2004 044 622 A1 can be used. As superabsorber, in this embodiment, an Arosil is used in a proportion of preferably 0.5-1.5% by weight, based on the weight of the total detoxifying agent. The Arosil is admixed with the detoxifying agent, for example, in a paddle mixer, and the mixture is subsequently applied to the surfaces to be decontaminated with an impeller pump or a peristaltic pump and a known spraying device.

Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, the detoxifying agent contains up to 99.5% by weight of non-organic neutralizing liquid, as described in particular in the cited references.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the neutralization liquid used is an aqueous solution of at least one enzyme or a mixture of a plurality of different enzymes and water, which is mixed with the superabsorber. Suitable enzymes or mixtures of enzymes and additives are described, for example, in WO 2007133263 A2.

The aqueous enzyme solution which forms the neutralizing liquid in this embodiment is preferably obtained by dissolving an enzyme powder in water, which enzyme powder may additionally contain a buffer salt for adjusting the pH. The amount of enzyme powder, which is optionally added together with a buffer salt to the water for the preparation of the detoxification solution, is preferably 0.1 to 10 wt .-%, particularly preferably 0.5 to 5 wt .-% and is in particular 1 % By weight, in each case based on the weight of the total detoxifying agent. Superabsorbents which are preferably used in this embodiment of the invention are known powdery superabsorbents which may contain, inter alia, sodium or potassium polyacrylate. Other possible superabsorbents include crosslinked polyacrylamides and copolymers based on starch and various acrylates. Suitable superabsorbents are listed, for example, in WO 2011032862 A1. The superabsorbents are added to the neutralizing liquid preferably in an amount of 0.01-5 wt.%, Preferably 0.1-1 wt.%, And more preferably in an amount of 0.5 wt.%, Of a detoxifying agent of the present invention to obtain, on the one hand still with conventional pumps, such as peristaltic pumps or

Good delivery of impeller pumps and deliberately and metered delivery via known hoses and spray nozzles, and which on the other hand ensures improved adhesion to the surfaces to be decontaminated. Accordingly, that contains

Detoxifying agent of the invention up to 99.9 wt .-% neutralizing liquid. The eligible enzymes cleave here according to a first variant of this embodiment, the substances used in nerve agents, the most

Organophosphoric acid esters are in less toxic products.

Enzymes such as organophosphorus acid anhydrolase / organophosphate acid anhydrolase (OrganoPhosphate Acid Anhydrolase (OPAA)) and organophosphorus hydrolase / organophosphate hydrolase (OrganoPhosphate Hydrolase (OPH)) are preferred.

According to a further variant of this embodiment, the detoxifying agent according to the invention contains an enzyme or enzymes which are used for the neutralization of skin-fighting substances. Preferably, the enzyme arylesterase is used, which contains a substance contained in the neutralizing liquid, e.g. Sodium percarbonate, propylene glycol converts diacetate in peracetic acid, which in turn destroys in a further reaction in skin warfare agents used primarily S-Lost or N-Lost compounds.

The peracetic acid (PAA) generated by the latter enzymes also serves to kill microorganisms used as biological warfare agents. In particular, spore-forming organisms such as anthrax can be effectively killed by enzymatically generated peracetic acid at concentrations of up to 5% without adversely affecting the skin surface. Usually, concentrations of 0.3-0.4% by weight of PAA are used.

The particular enzyme used, or the mixture used of several of the aforementioned enzymes advantageously acts very efficiently and quickly, so that in conjunction with the long adhesion time as a result of the thickened by the superabsorbent liquid highly efficient cleaning of surfaces is effected.

A particular advantage of the invention is the fact that the mixture of

Superabsorbent and enzyme usually longer time, e.g. several minutes to hours, adheres to the decontaminating surface to be cleaned, which ensures a long exposure time of the enzyme and the neutralizing liquid in particular in vertically or inclined arranged contaminated surfaces.

In addition, the detoxifying agent according to the invention has the advantage that by varying the amount of superabsorbent for a given amount of detoxification solution very easily different viscosities and consistencies can be generated, which are tailored to the particular application.

If the superabsorber is dried after several hours, when using the likewise preferably in the form of powder in very small amounts supplied enzymes remains only a powder on the surface back, which can be easily cleaned with water or aspirated using a nipple. Of course, the detoxifying agent according to the invention can also be simply rinsed off with water in a wet form after a shorter exposure time, which is the entire duration for the purification of a contaminated

Shortened surface again.

Another great advantage is that neither the superabsorbent, nor the enzymes used are toxic, and thus by the use of the detoxification agent according to the invention no relevant Umweltgefahrdung is brought about, as in the otherwise commonly used decontamination agents of the prior art is often the case. The detoxifying agent according to the invention can thereby be advantageously used directly on or on persons. According to a further idea underlying the invention, the mixture of superabsorbent and enzyme additionally contains at least one detergent or a solubilizer, such as arylalkyl sulfonate, which dissolves the lipophilic components of the substances adhering to the surface so that it is easily removed from the surface to be decontaminated can be. This further enhances the action of the enzyme, and it is easier to decontaminate warfare agents in oil-like form, present as droplets or enriched in oils / greases. Preferably, the detoxifying agent according to the invention contains 0.1 to 10 wt .-%, preferably 0.5 to 2 wt .-% and particularly preferably 1 wt .-% arylalkyl sulfonate, based on the total weight of the detoxification agent.

Since it is not possible to work with temperatures above 70 ° C. due to the admixed enzymes in order to neutralize the chemical or biological warfare agents on the surfaces by the enzymes, the addition of a detergent or a solubilizer, such as, for example, arylalkyl sulfonate, has the additional advantage obtained that remain almost no hydrophobic residues on the treated with the neutralizing agent according to the invention surfaces and objects. This allows easy removal of the residues of the

Detoxifying agent with the help of water. In this case, the cleaning effect in the case of a likewise added detergent advantageously be further improved in that the mixture according to the invention is completely or partially foamed prior to application to the surface by means of compressed air. This may be done, for example, by a suitable nozzle having a secondary air bore through which ambient air flows into a nozzle channel through which the detoxifying agent of the present invention flows to mix with the detoxifying agent prior to exiting the nozzle opening. Finally, according to a further aspect of the invention, a dye may be added to the superabsorber, preferably white talcum powder or black carbon powder, which makes the otherwise invisible colorless thickened mixture more visible to the user on the treated surface. By coloring it can recognize which areas have already been treated with the mixture, and which are still unwetted. It is understood that other colored pigments or dyes can be used.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture according to the invention is preferably produced continuously in a paddle mixer containing a container with a manually or motor-driven agitator, in which from above via a first rotary valve of the superabsorber, via a second rotary valve in the desired amount of the powdery enzyme and a third feed

if appropriate, a further substance, for example the talcum powder, is added, and into which water is simultaneously introduced via an inlet in the corresponding amount. By continuously mixing and adding water, enzyme,

Superabsorbent and optionally talcum powder, of which the water with the enzyme dissolved therein in this case forms the neutralizing liquid, the mixture can be applied continuously, even in larger quantities, e.g. whole

To spray surface surfaces over a nozzle system surface.

The application of the detoxification agent according to the invention from the paddle mixer is preferably carried out continuously via an impeller pump or via a peristaltic pump. However, such may also be used to remove the premixed detoxification agent from a container, e.g. To promote a closable plastic container 10 1, in which it can be stored and transported over a longer period.

The invention will be described below with reference to a preferred embodiment. Exemplary embodiment 1:

A quantity of 50 liters of water was placed in a stainless steel container at a

Room temperature of 20 ° C with constant stirring in a paddle mixer, a quantity of 1 kg of a powdery enzyme and 250 g of a company sold by Oecotec GmbH, D-63579 Freigericht - Horbach, Germany under the name "Hydrex ™" powdered superabsorber. After the addition of the enzyme and the superabsorbent, the stirring was continued for a period of 1 to 2 minutes and the thickened mixture immediately after the completion of the

Stirring process sprayed by means of a hose pump and a spray nozzle on a vertical metal surface. On this surface, the mixture adhered for a period of about 10 minutes before being cleaned with a jet of water. On the cleaned surface no remaining residues of the thickened mixture could be detected.

Exemplary embodiment II:

In another experiment, a quantity of 50 liters of water was used in one

Stainless steel container at a room temperature of 20 ° C with constant stirring in a paddle mixer, a quantity of 1 kg of a powdery enzyme, 250 g of the marketed by the company Oecotec GmbH, D-63579 Freigericht - Horbach, Germany under the name "Hydrex ™" powdered After addition of the enzyme, superabsorbent and talcum powder, the stirring was continued for a period of 1 to 2 minutes and the thickened whitish mixture was subsequently removed from the stainless steel container to a vertical one using a peristaltic pump and a spray nozzle On this surface, the mixture adhered as a clearly visible white mass for a period of about 10 minutes before being cleaned with a jet of water

Residues of the thickened mixture can be detected more.

Claims

claims

1. Detoxifying agent for the neutralization of chemical and / or biological

Warfare agents on vertically or inclined surfaces containing a mixture of at least one superabsorbent and a neutralizing liquid.

2. detoxifying agent according to claim 1,

characterized,

that this contains 0.01 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 1 wt .-% and particularly preferably 0.5 wt .-% of a superabsorbent and up to 99.9 wt .-% of a neutralizing liquid, each based on the total weight of the detoxifying agent.

3. detoxifying agent according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized,

the neutralizing liquid is an organic solvent or water as solvent and at least one enzyme or a mixture of several

contains different enzymes.

4. detoxifying agent according to claim 2 or 3,

characterized,

the enzyme or the mixture of several different enzymes is present in the neutralizing liquid in aqueous solution.

5. detoxifying agent according to claim 3 or 4,

characterized,

that the enzyme is an enzyme for the neutralization of nerve agents, nerve agents and nerve agent-like substances.

6. detoxifying agent according to claim 5,

characterized, the enzyme is organophosphorus acid anhydrolase or organophosphate acid anhydrolase or organophosphorus hydrolase or organophosphate hydrolase or a mixture of one or more of the aforementioned substances.

7. detoxifying agent according to claim 3 or 4,

characterized,

that the enzyme is an enzyme for the neutralization of biological agents and related pathogens.

8. detoxifying agent according to claim 3 or 4,

characterized,

that the enzyme is an enzyme for the neutralization of skin combatants and

Skin combatant is similar substances.

9. detoxifying agent according to claim 7 or 8,

characterized,

that the enzyme is arylesterase, and that the neutralization liquid contains a further substance, in particular sodium percarbonate or propylene glycol diacetate, which is converted by the enzyme into peracetic acid.

Detoxifying agent according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the enzyme or the

Enzymes are contained in an amount of from 0.1 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 5% by weight, in particular 2% by weight, based on the total amount of the detoxifying agent.

11. Detoxifying agent according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

that this additionally contains a dye, in particular talcum powder or black carbon powder.

12. detoxifying agent according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

that this additionally contains at least one detergent and / or a solubilizer, in particular arylalkyl sulfonate.

13. detoxifying agent according to claim 12,

characterized,

that compressed air is added to the mixture in order to spread it as a foam on a surface.

14. detoxifying agent according to claim 1,

characterized,

that this contains an Aerosil, preferably in an amount of 0.5 to 1.5% by weight and a non-organic neutralizing liquid, preferably in an amount of up to 99.5% by weight, in each case based on the total amount of the detoxifying agent.