• COVID-19
  • Progress
  • eNewsletter Sign-Up
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Give Feedback
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)
  • HOME
  • PEO ACWA
    • ACWA logo

      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

    • About PEO ACWA
      • Destruction Progress
      • Chain of Command
      • Team Biographies
      • Program Timeline
      • Program Legislation
      • Public Involvement
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • PEO ACWA Media Library
      • PEO ACWA News
      • PEO ACWA Videos
      • PEO ACWA Facts
      • PEO ACWA Press Releases
      • PEO ACWA Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • BLUE GRASS
    • pcapp_logo
      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.

    • BGCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
      • Hydrolysate Shipments
    • BGCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • PUEBLO
    • pcapp_logo
      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.

    • PCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
    • PCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • CONTACT US

Neutralization Followed by Biotreatment

  • Neutralization Followed by Biotreatment
  • Explosive Destruction System
  • Static Detonation Chamber
Home Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) PCAPP Destruction Technologies Neutralization Followed by Biotreatment

Overview

The Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program, the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot and the surrounding community worked together to select neutralization followed by biotreatment to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the depot.

In September 2002, the Bechtel Pueblo Team was awarded a contract to design, construct, test, operate and close the facility that will utilize this technology: the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). Neutralization followed by biotreatment uses hot water to neutralize the chemical agent, effectively destroying the mustard agent molecules. The resulting hydrolysate is mostly water and thiodiglycol, a common industrial chemical that is readily biodegradable. Ordinary sewage treatment bacteria, or microbes, consume the organics in the hydrolysate. Besides being a common phenomenon in nature, the science of using microbes to help dispose of hazardous waste has existed for decades. Sewage treatment facilities across the country use microbes every day to help break down raw sewage.

Pilot Testing

Pilot testing in the main plant began on Sept. 7, 2016, with the gradual introduction of actual agent-filled munitions into the automated system.

Pilot testing in the main plant is complete and in compliance with all safety requirements. Environmental permits are pending. The remaining agent-filled projectiles are being destroyed.

Operations

Operations at the Pueblo plant denotes that the plant is performing as it was designed, with munitions being destroyed using neutralization followed by biotreatment. The main plant functions as a fully operational facility as it awaits certification under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Permit.

How Neutralization Followed by Biotreatment Works

Step 1: Removal of Energetics

Step 1: Removal of Energetics

Robotic equipment will remove the weapon’s energetic components, including the fuze and the burster. Removing these parts first makes the remaining processes safer. Once removed, the energetics will be disposed of off site at an existing permitted facility.

Step 2: Removal of Mustard Agent

Step 2: Removal of Mustard Agent

Once the energetic components are removed, the weapon body containing chemical agent will be processed. To remove the agent, the body is robotically accessed, and then the agent is washed out with pressurized water.

Step 3: Neutralization of Mustard Agent

Step 3: Neutralization of Mustard Agent

The mustard agent will be mixed with hot water and a caustic solution. The product from this process is called hydrolysate and has a high pH requiring acid to be added to reduce the pH to neutral, making it suitable for digestion by the microbes used in biotreatment, which is the next step.

Step 4: Biotreatment

Step 4: Biotreatment

The hydrolysate generated in Step Three will go through the biotreatment process, which consists of large tanks containing microbes that digest and further break down the solution. Water released from the process will be recycled, leaving various salts and biosludge. Biosludge, which is made up of microbe waste products and other bacterial matter, will be filtered to remove water and shipped off site to a permitted treatment, storage and disposal facility.

Step 5: Thermal Treatment/Disposing of Metal Parts

Step 5: Thermal Treatment/Disposing of Metal Parts

The final step is treating the weapon’s metal parts. Although the metal parts were cleansed of energetics and agent in Step One and Step Two, they still may contain energetics and agent, and need to be decontaminated to a higher level. To reach this level of decontamination, the metal parts will be heated to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. The metal can then be recycled.

Connect with PEO ACWA

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Sign up for the Connect with ACWA e-newsletters to have information sent directly to your inbox. It’s a great way to stay connected with chemical weapons destruction plant activities.

Sign Up

Recent Tweets
  • Terms of Use
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
  • iSALUTE
  • Archive
  • Welcome to ACWA
  • Home
  • PEO ACWA Pages
    • About PEO ACWA
    • Destruction Progress
    • Team Biographies
    • Chain of Command
    • Program Timeline
    • Public Involvement
  • PEO ACWA Media Library
    • PEO ACWA Media Library (Main)
    • PEO ACWA News
    • PEO ACWA Videos
    • PEO ACWA Facts
    • PEO ACWA Press Releases
    • PEO ACWA Briefings and Reports
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Blue Grass Pages
    • BGCAPP Homepage
    • BGCAPP Project Stages
    • BGCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • BGCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at BGCAPP
    • Public Involvement at BGCAPP
    • Hydrolysate Shipments
  • BGCAPP Media Library
    • BGCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • BGCAPP News
    • BGCAPP Videos
    • BGCAPP Facts
    • BGCAPP Press Releases
    • BGCAPP Briefings, Reports and Downloads
  • Pueblo Pages
    • PCAPP Homepage
    • PCAPP Project Stages
    • PCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • PCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at PCAPP
    • Public Involvement at PCAPP
  • PCAPP Media Library
    • PCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • PCAPP News
    • PCAPP Videos
    • PCAPP Facts
    • PCAPP Press Releases
    • PCAPP Briefings, Reports, and Downloads
  • Archive
  • Job and Business Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)