UJI, InKemia Green Chemicals and MedicalMix project to prevent certain products from being used as explosives



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## UJI, InKemia Green Chemicals and MedicalMix project to prevent certain products from being used as explosives

12/04/2021 |
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* [![ quimica-sostenible _s9b1766](/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2021/2/quimica-sostenible/_s9b1766.jpg)](#)

Researchers from the [Sustainable and Supramolecular Chemistry Group](http://www.uji.es/%20www.quimicasostenible.uji.es) at the Universitat Jaume I in Castelló, the US company InKemia Green Chemicals and the Spanish company MedicalMix have formed a consortium that has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to search for sustainable alternatives to address the threat posed by some commercial chemicals, such as disinfectants and sterilants, when they are misused as explosive agents.

Formulations based on peracetic acid (PAA) or PAA and hydrogen peroxide are used to achieve effective disinfection and sterilisation of surgical instruments and other essential medical equipment. These formulations are among the most potent biocides due to their outstanding antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms and are today the basis for the preparation of liquid formulations for disinfection and sterilisation. Furthermore, in the scientific literature and the latest health recommendations, data on its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 can be found.

However, despite the many advantages they provide, their presence in formulations such as biocides presents significant problems. First, these products in their pure form are explosive (many manufacturing facilities have exploded during production and storage). Secondly, their potential use as explosives precursors in terrorist attacks has been of concern to international security agencies because they can lead to the formation of highly reactive radicals and free oxygen under conditions of decomposition (such as working at certain acidity values, at extreme temperatures or in contact with certain metals).

This has led the research team to propose a project whose main objective is the development of procedures and technologies that allow on-demand production at the point of use of hydrogen peroxide and percarboxylic acid. This will provide safer production and supply options for these chemicals with a lower environmental impact. It would also completely eliminate the need to manufacture, transport and store oxidising chemicals, a property that makes them susceptible to use as explosive agents.

Professors Eduardo García-Verdugo and Santiago V. Luis of the Sustainable and Supramolecular Chemistry Group of the UJI together with Dr. Carles Estévez of InKemia Green Chemicals are working on the development of both catalytic systems and reactors for the on-demand production of the necessary peracids for their implementation in the commercial equipment used in hospital sterilisation units. The collaboration with Medical Mix, which has extensive experience in the commercialisation of instrumentation and equipment for the healthcare sector, will ensure that the chemical design conforms to the specifications set out in the hospital protocols.

The added value of the innovation in the project presented by the consortium is the possibility that these products will be generated from safe, commercially available, inexpensive and non-toxic reagents, effectively replacing conventional methods of production and application of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid in antisepsis applications.

The project is part of a competitive programme launched by the Defence and Security Accelerator, an organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence, at the request of the UK Home Office. Its aim is to identify opportunities and promote the development of technologies to reduce or eliminate the risk of using chemicals that are useful for certain applications and may be readily available on the market to develop explosive devices that could be used in terrorist attacks.

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