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Environmental Decay Pathways of the Chemicals of Concern (COCs). Soil Concentrations of Contaminants. Contaminant. Average Concentration of Detections ( g/kg). No. Detects/No. Total Samples. Maximum Concentration ( g/kg). Clean-up Goal ( g/kg). RDX. 4,000. 37/123. 40,000. 120.
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Environmental Decay Pathways of the Chemicals of Concern (COCs)
Soil Concentrations of Contaminants Contaminant AverageConcentration of Detections (g/kg) No. Detects/No. Total Samples Maximum Concentration (g/kg) Clean-up Goal(g/kg) RDX 4,000 37/123 40,000 120 HMX 1,000 30/123 8,000 250 TNT 170 1/123 170 250 2,4-DNT 79 1/8 79 700 2A-DNT 207 12/123 550 1,240 4A-DNT 180 4/123 260 330 Nitroglycerin (NG) 3,200 1/123 3,200 2,500
Characteristics of COCs • RDX-Royal Demolition Explosive (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane) • Military explosive • Toxic to humans & mammals-carcinogen • HMX-High Melting Explosive (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazacyclooctane) • Impurity resulting from RDX production • Associated systemic poisoning (marrow & liver)
Fate and Transport: • Biological Decay • Aerobic/Anaerobic • Abiotic Decay • UV • Adsorption • Reversible/Irreversible • Transport • How do pH/Temperature affect solubility
Degradation of RDX • Mineralized by White Rot Fungus • Uses RDX as main source of nitrogen • Produces CO2 and N20 • Subcritical Water • RDX starts degrading with 100oC H20 • >99.9% destruction with 275oC H20 • Anaerobic Co-metabolism • Converted to Acetate
Degradation of HMX • UV Radiation Oxidizes HMX • H2O2 as catalyst • Sunlight breaks down HMX in H20 • Subcritical Water • HMX starts degrading with 125oC H20 • >98% destruction with 275oC H20 • Anaerobic Degradation via Reduction • Converted to methanol and chloroform
Transport • RDX solubility- 60mg/L • Low affinity for soil particles • However, sorption is nearly irreversible • HMX- nearly insoluble in H2O • Likely to move into groundwater
Nitroglycerin • Metabolization • P. chrysosporium • Produces di and mono nitrates • G. candidum • Produce glycerol • Transgenic Plants • Metabolize more slowly than microbes