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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
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      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

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      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

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Neutralization and Biotreatment Process at Pueblo Plant Explained

Published: July 6, 2016 | Category: PCAPP News, Technology
The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Brine Reduction System, the last step of the Biotreatment Process, recovers water from biosludge producing a salt cake. The water is then recycled back into the plant.

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Brine Reduction System, the last step of the Biotreatment Process, recovers water from biosludge producing a salt cake. The water is then recycled back into the plant.

The citizens of Colorado selected neutralization followed by biotreatment as an alternative to incineration for the Colorado stockpile of mustard agent munitions stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot.

“Getting the technology we wanted, a technology the citizens of Pueblo could support, was one of the most gratifying moments of the time I have served on the commission,” said Irene Kornelly, chair of the Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Committee.

Projectiles and mortar rounds containing mustard agent will be processed by the plant’s Munitions Washout System, which will drain and scour the munitions with hot water. The drained agent will be piped into a holding tank and will be combined with water, producing hydrochloric acid and thiodiglycol. Sodium hydroxide is then added, causing the neutralization process and producing hydrolysate, a combination of thiodiglycol, salt and water, said Greg Mohrman, site project manager, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP).

“In simplest terms, this process will neutralize the mustard agent by causing a chemical transformation. The chemical properties of the mustard will be destroyed, leaving it innocuous,” Mohrman said.

Hydrolysate will be pumped into Immobilized Cell Bioreactors to be further broken down by biomass, or microbes. The biomass releases enzymes which will break down the hydrolysate into an organic waste known as biosludge. The biosludge is sent to the Brine Reduction System, where water will be removed and recycled back into the plant. The resulting salt cake will be disposed of at a permitted Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility, said Dr. Jim Earley, chief scientist, PCAPP.

Before closing the plant, PCAPP will neutralize and biotreat mustard agent from approximately 780,000 munitions and mortar rounds.

More PCAPP Technology Articles

  • Agent-filled 4.2-inch mortar rounds are monitored during Static Detonation Chamber agent trial testing operations at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Static Detonation Chamber Trial Testing Concludes

    Published: May 13, 2022
  • After a chemical weapon is drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water, Agent Washwater Separator tanks collect fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has two tanks, providing the plant with redundancy when neutralizing agent.

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Published: March 28, 2022
  • All chemical weapons from the Colorado stockpile are sorted into four color-coded lots to reduce delays in destruction due to problematic munitions.

    Color Coding Boosts Chemical Weapon Destruction

    Published: March 23, 2022
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician holds the first 4.2-inch mortar round to be processed in the Static Detonation Chamber complex.

    First Agent Destroyed in Static Detonation Chamber

    Published: February 22, 2022
  • Static Detonation Chamber ordnance technicians Rachelle S. and Mike W. remove a 57mm conventional ammunition round from its fiber tube during SDC non-agent Trial Burn Testing.

    Conventional Explosives Demonstrate Static Detonation Chamber Capability

    Published: February 15, 2022
  • Munitions transporters unload inert 4.2-inch mortar rounds from the back of a Modified Ammunition Vehicle during Integrated Operations Demonstrations. (Portions of this photograph have been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines)

    Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Team Demonstrates Operations

    Published: February 2, 2022
PCAPP Biotreatment, PCAPP Neutralization

Related News

  • Bioreactors Seeded with Biomass

    Bioreactors Seeded with Biomass

    October 22, 2018
  • Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Complete

    Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Complete

    September 14, 2017
  • First Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Successful

    First Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Successful

    August 11, 2017
  • Temporary Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Begins

    Temporary Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Begins

    August 1, 2017
  • Colorado Plant Achieves Munition Processing Milestone

    Colorado Plant Achieves Munition Processing Milestone

    June 22, 2017
  • Salt Cake Shipment Signifies Complete Plant Cycle

    Salt Cake Shipment Signifies Complete Plant Cycle

    June 21, 2017

Related Videos

  • Temporary Off-site Shipment of Hydrolysate from Colorado Plant

    Temporary Off-site Shipment of Hydrolysate from Colorado Plant

    June 29, 2017
  • PCAPP is Committed to Secondary Process

    PCAPP is Committed to Secondary Process

    January 23, 2017
  • Surrogate Testing Proves Successful at the Pueblo Plant

    Surrogate Testing Proves Successful at the Pueblo Plant

    September 23, 2016
  • Fun Video Shows Science Behind Destruction of Chemical Weapons in Colorado

    Fun Video Shows Science Behind Destruction of Chemical Weapons in Colorado

    July 5, 2016
  • Five Steps of Chemical Weapons Destruction at PCAPP

    Five Steps of Chemical Weapons Destruction at PCAPP

    March 31, 2014

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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)