New nerve agent cleansing method created

KINGSTON, Ontario, April 15 (UPI) -- Two Canadian scientists say they've developed a technology that rapidly and safely destroys the types of toxic agents used in chemical weapons and pesticides.

Queens University Professor Stan Brown and researcher Alexei Neverov said recent independent testing showed their non-corrosive, alcohol-based methodologies were more than 99 percent effective when used on the deadly nerve agents Tabun, Soman and VX.

When tested in solution, full destruction of all three agents was achieved in less than 30 seconds. Testing on contaminated surfaces showed virtually complete decontamination of the agents in 10 minutes -- the shortest of the time-periods tested.

"Our research results with model compounds demonstrated the method to be extremely effective, but the bigger question to us was, would it work on live agents?" Brown said. "These latest tests corroborate every result seen in our testing of this method over the past five years."

The researchers said their decontamination methodology has no special environmental requirements, meaning it can be easily stored and used at all temperatures and under most conditions.

The testing was funded in part by Queen's University and the Ontario Research Commercialization Program.