Site manager:  VX neutralization 'going very well'

By Patricia L. Pastore/Tribune-Star

After one week of operation, workers at the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility have successfully destroyed 540 gallons of the deadly nerve agent VX.

Six 90-gallon batches of VX have been successfully neutralized in two 1,000 gallon reactors since May 6, said Jeff Brubaker, government project site manager. He said the 540 gallons represents three of the 1,169 one-ton containers of VX stored at the Newport Chemical Depot.

He said the containers have been transported from the storage facilities to the destruction facility and emptied without incident.

"Actually, as of today, we have emptied six of the ton containers," Brubaker said. He said all of the VX being neutralized was analyzed after being in the reactors for 21/2 hours, 6 hours and nine hours.

All of the six batches are "non-detect," Brubaker said, noting the amount of VX left after neutralization is so minuscule it is not harmful. Reactor times varied. Five batches were non-detect - registering 20 parts per billion or less - after being in the reactors six hours and the sixth registered 20 ppb or less after nine hours.

He said the neutralized VX typically indicates 14 ppb, however the range of VX in the six batches falls between 14 and 18 ppb, Brubaker said.

The slight difference in the analysis is expected. About two years ago, Col. Jesse Barber, Chemical Materials Agency project manager of Alternate Approaches, told the Tribune-Star that each of the 1,169 ton containers of VX might have a slightly different analysis after the neutralization process in the reactors with hot sodium hydroxide and water.

He said a stabilizer was added to each ton container. Two types of stabilizers were used, some of the containers have one type, some the other, and some both types.

After testing samples of the eight groups of ton containers, Barber said, all could be cleared (neutralized) for detectable VX. He also said reactor times might vary because of the variation of stabilizers and possible other contaminant inside the containers.

Nothing unexpected has occurred, said Brubaker.

"It is going very well," Brubaker said. He said during the six months of very slow and very deliberate VX destruction start-up he expects the reactor time to be reduced.

"We hope to achieve non-detect in 2 1/2 hours within the six month start-up phase,'' he said.

The ton containers have been cleaned and are being kept in the destruction facility until the electrical induction heating system is operational for final treating of the one-ton containers, Brubaker said. He said the electrical induction heating system may begin operation next month.

"Right now we are focusing on bringing the ton containers to the destruction facility, extracting the nerve agent from the ton containers, destroying VX and cleaning the containers," he said.

Brubaker said destroying the nerve agent has generated 6,000 gallons of VX hydrolysate, a caustic chemical waste water that must be further treated before final disposal.

He said the Army still is planning to transport the hydrolysate to a commercial hazardous waste treatment plant for final disposal.

"We have enough storage containers to store the caustic byproduct for eight to 10 months, he said. If for any reason the Army can't transport the caustic waste off-site, Brubaker said, he has on-site storage capability.

Donna Hollingsworth, a farmer's wife who lives in the first home south of the chemical depot has never doubted the Army's ability to keep the nerve agent secure. She has also stated repeatedly that she believes the VX will be destroyed without incident.

Her strong faith in God and her trust in the Army has never faltered.

Two weeks ago after hearing VX destruction would begin soon she said, "I've lived here since I was first married more than two decades ago, and I've never been afraid. I'm still not afraid."

A drop of VX the size of a BB can be lethal, the Army has said.

Patricia Pastore can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or pat.pastore@tribstar.com.

Story created May 16, 2005 - 10:59:06 CDT.