Evaluation of methods for destruction of some alkylating agents

Destruction procedures for dimethylsulfate (DMS), diethylsulfate (DES), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) have been investigated using treatment by 1 N NaOH, 1 N NH4OH, 1 M Na2CO3, and 1 M Na2S2O3. During the kinetic study of the destruction process, the determination of remaining concentrations of the alkylating agents was performed by the derivatization of p-nitrophenoxide to p-nitroanisole and p-nitrophenetole, which were separated by high performance liquid chromatography. The mutagenic activity of the destruction products was evaluated by the Ames test using Salmonella tester strains TA97, TA98, TA100, and TA102. The kinetics of destruction in every case followed a time-dependent exponential relationship. Solutions of 1 M Na2S2O3 showed the highest capacity for destruction of the four alkylating agents, half-lives of DMS, DES, MMS, and EMS being 0.14 min, 1.26 min, 0.60 min, and 5.26 min, respectively. No mutagenic activity was detected following complete destruction in 1 M Na2S2O3.