(57y) Proposed Method for Investigating the Reactivity of Chlorine with Environmental Materials Under Relevant, Controlled Conditions

Many common toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) such as chlorine and ammonia are very reactive with commonly encountered materials in the environment. The amount of TIC material reacted in the environment is an important factor in the impact of a release. Typically characterized with a deposition rate in atmospheric dispersion models, the reaction rate and total deposition quantities have predominately been studied in field scale experiments. Laboratory experiments have also been undertaken, but past investigations have inadequately quantified the available turbulence which can importantly impact surface reaction rates. The state of the art description of surface deposition represents the process as a series of resistances including the effect of atmospheric turbulence and surface reaction(s) depending on the surface material (substrate). Sponsored by the Chemical Security Analysis Center (CSAC) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Transport Canada, an experimental program is underway to test potential substrates under known inlet gas concentrations with levels of turbulence that are comparable to those of the atmosphere. The objective is to develop a test methodology for subjecting a substrate to a reactive gas flow of known TIH concentration with turbulence levels consistent with those in the atmosphere. With data from repeat experiments, deposition of a reactive TIH chemical can be quantified with the proposed experimental protocol.