Electrocatalytic nanoreactors for absorption, detection and decontamination of hazardous compounds
Chemical warfare agents (CWA) are one of the most odious weapons of mass destruction, designed to incapacitate humans by causing blistering, choking, internal bleeding and vomiting on a grand scale. CWA are inexpensive and relatively easy to synthesise making them accessible to terrorist groups, providing a means for the administration of large scale damage with only small quantities of materials. Current state-of-the-art methods to detect or decontaminate CWA lack efficiency and flexibility and, with tensions in numerous war zones pushed to breaking point. By building on the fundamental scientific discoveries made in the ERC Consolidator grant (No 277784, NANOMOL), we shall extend and develop the application of electrochemically active carbon nanoreactors for the detection and decontamination of CWA, such as mustard gas and other agents. The nanoscale electrochemical platform (NANOELECTROCHEM) developed in this Proof of Concept (PoC) project is expected to be universally applicable for the triple-use (absorption + detection + decontamination) of a wide spectrum of CWA and many other harmful anthropogenic compounds, within the single platform allowing for an extremely portable device for a range of practical applications.