Methods of decontaminating surfaces and related compositions
A composition of matter includes water, at least one acid, at least one surfactant, at least one fluoride salt, and ammonium nitrate. A method of decontaminating a surface includes exposing a surface to such a composition and removing the composition from the surface. Other compositions of matter include water, a fatty alcohol ether sulfate, nitrilotriacetic acid, at least one of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, ammonium nitrate, and gelatin.
1. A composition, comprising:
water;
at least one chelator selected from the group consisting of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, (2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, ethylene glycol-bis-(2-aminoethyl)-tetracetic acid, ammonium molybdophosphate, and nitrilotriacetic acid;
at least one of hydrochloric acid or nitric acid;
at least one surfactant comprising a fatty alcohol ether sulfate;
at least one fluoride salt; and
ammonium nitrate.
2. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising gelatin.
3. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising corn starch.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the fatty alcohol ether sulfate comprises at least one of a sodium salt of the fatty alcohol ether sulfate or an ammonium salt of the fatty alcohol ether sulfate.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant is present at from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one chelator comprises nitrilotriacetic acid; and
the at least one fluoride salt comprises at least one of sodium fluoride or potassium fluoride.
7. The composition of claim 6 , further comprising gelatin.
8. The composition of claim 6 , further comprising corn starch.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein:
the water comprises from about 40% by weight to about 50% by weight of the composition;
the at least one chelator comprises from about 4% by weight to about 60% by weight of the composition;
the at least one surfactant comprises from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight of the composition;
the at least one fluoride salt comprises from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight of the composition; and
the ammonium nitrate comprises from about 0.05% by weight to about 5.0% by weight of the composition.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises water, nitrilotriacetic acid, hydrochloric acid, ammonium molybdophosphate, the fatty alcohol ether sulfate, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, and ammonium nitrate.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises water, nitrilotriacetic acid, citric acid, hydrochloric acid, ammonium molybdophosphate, the fatty alcohol ether sulfate, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, and ammonium nitrate.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the composition is between about -0.5 and about 5.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated to generate a foam.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a pH of the composition is less than about 6.
15. A composition, comprising:
water;
a fatty alcohol ether sulfate;
nitrilotriacetic acid;
hydrochloric acid;
sodium fluoride;
potassium fluoride;
ammonium nitrate; and
gelatin.
16. The composition of claim 15 , further comprising corn starch, citric acid, and ammonium molybdophosphate.
17. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.03% by weight to about 1% by weight of nitrilotriacetic acid.
18. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20% by weight to about 35% by weight of hydrochloric acid.
19. A composition consisting essentially of:
water;
a fatty alcohol ether sulfate;
nitrilotriacetic acid;
hydrochloric acid;
sodium fluoride;
corn starch;
citric acid;
ammonium nitrate;
potassium fluoride;
ammonium molybdophosphate; and
gelatin.
20. A method of decontaminating a surface, comprising:
exposing a surface to a composition, the surface having a radioactive contaminant material thereon and the composition comprising:
water;
at least one acid;
at least one surfactant;
at least one fluoride salt; and
ammonium nitrate; and
removing at least a portion of the composition from the surface to remove at least a portion of the radioactive contaminant material from the surface.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein removing at least a portion of the radioactive contaminant material from the surface further comprises removing biological contaminant materials or chemical contaminant materials from the surface.
22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising applying ultrasonic energy to the composition.
23. The method of claim 20 , further comprising injecting a gas into the composition to produce a foam before exposing the surface to the composition.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein exposing the surface to a composition comprises exposing the surface to a composition comprising water, a fatty alcohol ether sulfate, nitrilotriacetic acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, and ammonium nitrate.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein exposing a surface to a composition comprises exposing the surface to a composition wherein:
the water comprises from about 40% by weight to about 50% by weight of the composition;
the at least one acid comprises from about 20% by weight to about 60% by weight of the composition;
the at least one surfactant comprises from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight of the composition;
the at least one fluoride salt comprises from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight of the composition; and
the ammonium nitrate comprises from about 0.05% by weight to about 5.0% by weight of the composition.