Halogenated carbon compounds containing at least three halogen atoms and capable of undergoing bimolecular nucleophilic substitution are degraded by reaction in an aprotic solvent with a strong nucleophile selected from superoxide ion and hydroxide ion. The process is particularly applicable to compounds in which at least three halogen atoms are covalently joined to a tetrahedral carbon atom. In a specific embodiment, superoxide ion is electrolytically generated in an aprotic solvent containing a soluble organic electrolyte. In a further embodiment, the aprotic solvent is dimethyl sulfoxide, which, when converting carbon tetrahalide, forms dimethylsulfone and carbonate.

The present invention relates to a process for purifying an earthy matrix contaminated by heavy metals, comprising at least: (a) providing at least one cathode well inside said earthy matrix, said well comprising at least one cathode immersed in an electrolytic solution (cathodic solution) inside a cathode container permeable to liquids and ionic species; (b) providing at least one anode well inside said earthy matrix, said well comprising at least one anode immersed in an electrolytic solution (anodic solution) inside an anode container permeable to liquids and ionic species; (c) introducing water, preferably water comprising a complexing agent (complexing solution), into said earthy matrix so as to impregnate said earthy matrix until a saturation degree equal to at least 70% is reached; (d) applying a potential difference to said anode and cathode so as to make said contaminating metals migrate in the form of ionic metal complexes; (e) recovering said contaminating metals from one or more of said anodic solution, cathodic solution and soil solution of said earthy matrix.

A method of treatment and disposal of i) a munition containing a chemical agent, or ii) a container used for the storage or transport of such chemical agents, which munition or container has a metallic casing, which method comprises the steps of; placing the munition or container in a reaction vessel and immersing the casing in a highly corrosive fluid thereby dissolving at least a portion of the metallic casing in the highly corrosive fluid without electrochemical dissolution by means of an impressed electrical current; producing a liquor containing the highly corrosive fluid, the dissolved portion of the casing, and any chemical agent contained in the casing, in either a dissolved or undissolved state; treating the liquor so as to place the liquor in a condition for recovery or disposal; recovering or disposing of the liquor.

A process for the electrochemical dehalogenation of halogenated organic compounds is provided which comprises combining in an electrochemical cell

• (a) at least one halogenated organic compound or a material comprising one or more halogenated organic compounds;
• (b) at least one electrolyte-organic solvent in an amount effective to conduct electric current and which is a solvent for the halogenated organic compound;
• (c) at least one sufficiently soluble electroconductive salt in an amount of from about 0.0005 to about 0.02 M; and
• (d) at least one sufficiently soluble electron transfer compounds wherein the electron transfer compound to salt ratio is from 0.1:1 to 20.1 weight percent; and then applying a voltage to the resulting mixture effective to remove any amount of halogen from said halogenated organic compound.