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J ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION 278 reduced ion species; this is usually supplied by a high flow rate of electrolyte. ⢠The organic being decomposed may go through a polymerization resulting in insoluble materials; the membrane may be plugged as one of the undesirable consequences. The organic concentration must be kept low. Miscellaneous materials in the feed also may cause membrane fouling, e.g., alkaline earth elements or thickening compounds sometimes present in nerve agent. ⢠The chlorine present in mustard may precipitate silver (as silver chloride) unless concentrations are kept very low. A mediating ion other than silver may be necessary for this case. Cobalt has been suggested as a probable substitute. ⢠The very large destruction efficiency needed may be difficult to achieve in a completely mixed reactor. Reaction rate information is needed. ⢠The differing solubilities in aqueous medium of GB, VX, and HD may or may not require different reactor configurations. Although HD has low solubility, the amount in solution must in any case be kept low. Test work will be needed to determine whether HD destruction would require a two-phase reactor. (Most organic oxidations have had two-phases.) BY-PRODUCTS AND WASTE STREAMS The principal gas streams produced are carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Some contamination with nitrogen oxides, chlorine, or carbon monoxide should be expected. This would be particularly true with silver as the mediating ion. An electrolyte solution of strong acid, containing most of the heteroatoms in the feed as well as mediating metal ion, will be produced. Suitable recovery for all these materials must be provided. DEVELOPMENT NEEDS The nature and size of the chemical reactor will need to be determined through development. Electrolytic reactions are generally limited by transport and other physical properties, such as solubility. They resemble combustion reactions in this regard. Reaction rate data do not appear to be available; destruction levels of 99.9999 percent will need rate data for reactor design. The choices of mediating ion and reaction conditions such as temperature, ion concentration, and organic species concentration, will need to be developed. A substantial research and development program should be anticipated.
