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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)

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Bioreactor Seeding Begins at Pueblo Plant

Published: April 21, 2017 | Category: PCAPP News, Technology
Baking soda, a buffer, is added to an Immobilized Cell Bioreactor (ICB) to regulate pH levels. ICB module two was seeded with biomass in anticipation of a hydrolysate batch feed April 19.

Baking soda, a buffer, is added to an Immobilized Cell Bioreactor (ICB) to regulate pH levels. ICB module two was seeded with biomass in anticipation of a hydrolysate batch feed April 19.

Crews added living microbes to the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) biotreatment system, and began processing hydrolysate, the product of the mustard agent neutralization process, April 19.

“Immobilized Cell Bioreactor seeding began on Monday. Seeding means we added biomass to ICB modules one and two,” said Dr. James Earley, chief scientist, PCAPP.

“We are using microorganisms commonly found in nature to treat the hydrolysate,” said Earley. “Active biomass is needed to degrade the hydrolysate.”

In basic terms, the microbes will ingest the thiodiglycol (TDG) in the hydrolysate and break it down into sulfuric acid, carbon dioxide and water. The sulfuric acid is neutralized by the addition of caustic to the bioreactors, Earley said.

“During start-up and acclimation, our objective is to increase the number of TDG degrading microbes in the bioreactors in order to operate the plant as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Earley said.

In the course of two days, microbes from the local wastewater treatment plant were added to module two. On the third day, the module was batch fed with hydrolysate to give an initial TDG concentration of approximately 500 milligrams per liter in each of the four ICB reactors in the module. The same protocol will apply for the first module, Earley said.

“We will progressively increase the initial concentration of TDG as the biomass becomes more active, which further increases the activity,” Earley said. “Our goal is to increase the population of TDG degrading microorganisms to increase throughput.”

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 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)