US 20090 187060A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2009/0187060 A1 Henry et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 23, 2009 (54) METHOD AND FORMULATION FOR Publication Classification NEUTRALIZING TOXC CHEMICALS AND (51) Int. Cl. MATERLALS A62D 3/36 (2007.01) AOIN 55/02 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. ......................................... 588/318: 514/498 (75) Inventors: Timothy G. Henry, Princeton, NJ (US); Barbara B. Price, Kaneohe, (57) ABSTRACT HI (US) The present invention is directed to a formulation and asso ciated method for neutralizing one or more toxic chemical and/or materials including toxic industrial chemicals and Correspondence Address: toxic industrial materials, such as irritants, heavy metals, radioactive metals, acids and acid irritants, pesticides, and ALSTON & BRD LLP various agricultural chemicals, (collectively referred to as BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA, 101 SOUTH toxic chemical, materials, or simply toxins) as well as decon TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000 taminating Surfaces that have come into contact with these CHARLOTTE, NC 28280-4000 (US) agents. As a result, the formulation of the present invention can be used for neutralizing abroad spectrum of toxic chemi cals and materials. In one embodiment, the active ingredient (73) Assignee: E-Z-EM, Inc. comprises 2, 3, butanedione monoxime (also known as diacetyl monoxime (DAM)), and alkali salts thereof such as potassium 2,3-butanedione monoxime (KBDO). The formu lation also typically includes a carrier in which the active (21) Appl. No.: 12/017,749 ingredient is dispersed. In one embodiment, the carrier com prises polyethylene glycol (PEG); monomethoxypolyethyl ene glycol (mPEG); and combinations and derivatives (22) Filed: Jan. 22, 2008 thereof. US 2009/O 187060 A1 Jul. 23, 2009 METHOD AND FORMULATION FOR like hypochlorite solutions are useful but are corrosive to NEUTRALIZING TOXC CHEMICALS AND most metals and fabrics, and to human skin. Liquid-like foam MATERALS disinfectants have also been used, and generally require water and pressurized gases for efficient application. As such, they FIELD OF THE INVENTION are typically not practical under many circumstances. 0001. The present invention relates generally to formula 0006. In addition to factories, such problems can also be tions and methods for neutralizing chemical agents, and more experienced in many households across the country. For particularly, to formulations and methods for neutralizing a example, the typical kitchen sink cabinet may include many broad spectrum of chemical agents. different chemical/materials ranging from household clean ing products to pesticides. Similar to the chemicals/materials BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION that may be found in a typical factory, exposure to household chemicals can also result in severe injury. However, most 0002 The risk of exposure to various chemical and bio households today do not even include the most basic of coun logical agents is an ever increasing concern for military per termeasures, and as a consequence, water is often the first Sonnel as well as civilians. This concernis particularly height choice in an attempt to cleanse exposed skin or Surfaces. ened in view of recent terrorist attacks. In particular, terrorist Since many chemical/materials do not react or are insoluble threats involving such agents are increasing in the United in water, the use of water can further exacerbate the exposure States as well as abroad. In response to this threat, various and severity of the injury by spreading the chemical/materials countermeasures have been developed that are capable of around and thereby increasing the area of contact with the neutralizing certain chemical weapon agents. For example, so toxic chemical/material. called nerve agents, such as Sarin, Soman, and tabun are 0007. In addition to chemical countermeasures, physical examples of phosphorous containing compounds which can decontamination methods can also be used to neutralize many be altered chemically to remove their toxicity. Since many of toxic chemical/materials. Physical decontamination usually these compounds share a common or similar chemical moi involves dry heat for an extended period of time or steam or ety, a single chemical countermeasure can be used to neutral super-heated steam for about 20 minutes. In some cases, UV ize many of them. light can be used effectively, but it is generally difficult to 0003. In addition to chemical and biological agents, there implement in actual practice. Such physical decontamination also exists a wide variety of contaminants such as toxic indus methods cannot be used in the case of exposure to human trial chemicals (TIC's) and toxic industrial materials (TIMs) skin, and are often impractical to use under many circum that raise concerns over public safety. Such contaminants stances. Accordingly, there still exists a need for effective include industrial chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides and countermeasures that can be used to neutralize many of the other materials that may be released in the environment dur ing normal processing, disposal, waste handling, or acciden toxic chemical/materials that may be encountered in facto tal discharge. Generally, such contaminates comprise a broad ries, as well as in the home. spectrum of chemical compositions that are not readily neu tralized or destroyed with a single chemical countermeasure. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result, exposure to such contaminants requires that an appropriate countermeasure be selected in order to effectively 0008. In one alternative embodiment, the present inven neutralize the contaminant. Further, many countermeasures tion is directed to a formulation and associated method for are only effective if they are applied prior to an exposure and neutralizing toxic chemicals and materials, and abroad spec are unable to effectively neutralize contaminants after a per trum of toxic chemical and/or materials including, but not son has been exposed. limited to, toxic industrial chemicals and toxic industrial 0004. The problems with selecting an appropriate coun materials, such as, for example, irritants, heavy metals, radio termeasure are of particular concern in environments where a active metals, acids and acid irritants, pesticides, and various wide variety of toxic chemicals/materials are being used. For agricultural chemicals, (collectively referred to as toxic example, many modern factories use a wide variety of differ chemical, materials, or simply toxins) as well as decontami ent chemicals and Substances in their every day operation and nating Surfaces that have come into contact with these agents. processes. As a result, there exists a wide variety of different As a result, the formulation of the present invention can be toxic chemical/materials to which personnel within the fac used for neutralizing a wide variety of toxic chemicals and tory may be exposed. Since exposure to many of these chemi materials. cals/materials can result in severe injuries to the exposed 0009. In particular, the present invention comprises a for workers, and in Some cases death, there is a need to provide mulation having one or more active moieties that are capable countermeasures that can be used to effectively treat individu of neutralizing one or more chemical agents including, but als after exposure. not limited to, acids, toxic industrial chemicals, toxic indus 0005. Unfortunately, this creates problems with respect to trial materials, metal ions, and pesticides. the feasibility of maintaining an adequate number of the 0010. In one embodiment, the formulation may include an appropriate countermeasures, as well as problems associated active ingredient having a nitrogen oxime moiety and a car with educating personnel on selecting the appropriate coun bonyl moiety that is capable of neutralizing a variety of toxins termeasure. Such problems can be heightened in emergency via a nucleophilic or electrophilic attack. In one embodiment, situations after an exposure has occurred. As a result, it may the active ingredient comprises 2, 3, butanedione monoxime be difficult to find and apply the appropriate countermeasure (also known as diacetyl monoxime (DAM)), and alkali Salts in a timely fashion, which can result in prolonged exposure thereof Such as potassium 2,3-butanedione monoxime and an increase in the severity of the injury. Further, many (KBDO). The formulation may also include a carrier in which chemical countermeasures, such as chemical disinfectants the active ingredient is dispersed. In one embodiment, the US 2009/O 187060 A1 Jul. 23, 2009 carrier may comprise polyethylene glycol (PEG); chelate complex in which the metal is bound to two or more monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG); and combina atoms of the chelating agent. In one embodiment, DAM is tions and derivatives thereof. capable of chelating with metal ions to form a five to seven 0011. In one embodiment, the formulation of the present member ring. invention can be used to neutralize a wide variety of toxic 0017. In one alternative embodiment, the present inven industrial chemical and materials. In one such embodiment, tion provides a method for neutralizing or sequestering metal DAM and its salts, such as KBDO, include three potentially atoms in which a composition having at least one nucleophilic nucleophilic atoms that are capable of nucleophilic attack on carbonyl moeity and at least one nucleophilic oxime nitrogen reactive moieties on the targeted chemical. For example, the moiety is reacted with a metal. Reaction of the composition structure of DAM includes three nucleophilic atoms: the car and the metal chelates the metal to form a ring structure in bonyl oxygen, the oxime nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, the which the at least one nucleophilic carbonyl moiety and at Oxime oxygen. The nucleophilic atoms are capable of attack least one nucleophilic oxime nitrogen moiety are bonded to ing and neutralizing a wide variety of toxic chemicals. In the metal. addition to neutralizing toxins that are susceptible to nucleo 0018. In one alternative embodiment, the formulation of philic attack, DAM and KBDO can be used to neutralize acid the present invention may also be used to neutralize a wide toxins as well.