DeconGel

History

DeconGel was created by CBI Polymers INC in Honolulu, Hawaii, in June 2011. Since then it has been used commercially to clean up chemicals and nuclear waste. Most notably being in Japan after the Fukushima nuclear disaster after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami compromised reactors and cooling baths at TEPCO’s Daiichi Nuclear Power Station left high levels of radiation on the Asahimachi Baptist School Building.

Formulation

While CBI Polymers has kept the full formulation a secret, The formula is a mix of surfactants, helates, thixotropy, wetting agents, defoamer, biocides and buffers.

DeconGel is currently active in three different formulas:

• DeconGel 1102 – Formulated for increased effectiveness on petroleum-based contaminants, including PCBs and oil spills. Applied by brush or trowel; spray on version also available.
• DeconGel 1108 – Formulated for heavy nuclear, toxic industrial chemical (TIC) and toxic industrial material (TIM) decontamination. Applied by brush or trowel.
• DeconGel 1128 – Spray-on version of 1108 for industrial sprayers and large coverage areas.

Usage

DeconGel can encapsulate most radioactive isotopes such as H-3, C-14, F-18, I-125, I-131, Tc-99, Tl-201, tritiated thymidine and transuranics such as Am-241, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, Cs-137, Cs-134, Co-60, Mn-54, Fe-55, Ni-63, Ni-59, Sr-90 and Co-58 as well as most oxic industrial chemicals and materials such as meth lab wastes, asbestos, PCB, crude oil, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, selenium, silver, zinc, and molybdenum.

DeconGel has special properties that "wet out" a surface, allowing the gel to penetrate into contiguous pores. Often contamination is considered "fixed" when in fact the contaminants are actually "loose" but trapped within pores, unable to be removed via common decontamination techniques. DeconGel can get within these pores and remove these contaminants making it appear that DeconGel has actually penetrated the substrate.

DeconGel can be applied by brush, trowel (small hand-held or large stand-up trowel) or sprayer (sprayer and/or product may need to be modified to work). For small surface areas a paint brush, a small trowel or a hand-held sprayer can be used. For large complex surfaces, an industrial type sprayer may be more practical. For large horizontal surfaces, either a sprayer or a stand-up trowel may be used.

When spraying DeconGel, multiple coats may be needed before peeling the gel from the surface. The thicker the dried gel is, the easier it is to remove from the surface.

References

References

1. Zimmerman, Eilene. (25 May 2011). "Blue goo sucks up toxic waste". CNNMoney.
2. "FAQs - Environmentally Friendly Decontaminant".
3. "U.S. COMPANY’S UNIQUE DECONTAMINATION TECHNOLOGY USED IN JAPAN TO REMEDIATE FUKUSHIMA SCHOOL CAMPUS".
4. "DeconGel".