Toxic Chemicals and their Neutralising Agents in Porous Media

Abstract

The UK Government Decontamination Service (UKGDS) advise Government on the national capability for the decontamination of buildings, infrastructure, transport and the open environment. Additionally, UKGDS are a source of expertise in the event of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incidents, and in the major release of hazardous materials. In the first part of the report, the study group derive and solve mathematical models to investigate the depth to which toxic chemicals may seep into dry porous substrates. This involved applying Darcy's law to an unsaturated porous medium for a sharp interface, and Richards' equation for a diffuse interface. In the second part, the group investigated the key cleanser properties to consider when choosing decontaminants for the neutralisation process between a decontaminant and an imbibed chemical, where the reaction product is soluble and insoluble in the cleanser phase. This involved solving reaction-diffusion equations with fixed and moving boundaries.