An evaluation of the environmental fate and behavior of munitions materiel (TNT, RDX) in soil and plant systems

Abstract

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An evaluation of the environmental fate and behavior of munitions materiel (Tetryl and polar metabolites of TNT) in soil and plant systems. Environmental fate and behavior of tetryl

“…Several of these methods have been applied to the quantitation of explosives in soil extracts (Jenkins and Grant 1987;Jenkins and Walsh 1987;Bongiovanni et al 1984;Cataldo et al 1989Cataldo et al , 1990Harvey et al 1990, 1991) Palazzo and Leggett (1986 were the first to address the analysis of explosive residues in plant tissues. Since their initial report, only those methods described by Cataldo and co-workers (Cataldo et al 1989Harvey et al 1990Harvey et al , 1991 have significantly advanced the analytical methodology for determining explosives residues in plant tissues.…”

“…Recent studies (Cataldo et al 1989Harvey et al 1990Harvey et al , 1991 have evaluated the behavior and chemical fate of TNT and RDX in soils. Extensive transformation of TNT to 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene was found to occur rapidly within three different soils.…”

“…Detailed plant fate studies related to TNT have recently been conducted (Cataldo et al 1989Harvey et al 1990Harvey et al , 1991. In the plants, TNT-derived 140 was found to be localized primarily in the roots, with a small amount of radiolabel being transported to the shoot and leaves.…”

“…Ongoing research for U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command with TNT (Cataldo et al 1989), RDX , and other organic xenobiotics has clearly shown the need to understand the critical aspects controlling the behavior and chemical fate of environmental contaminants. This study will address the environmental fate and behavior of tetryl in soils and plants.…”

“…Soil extraction was based on exhaustive Soxhlet extraction as previously described for TNT and RDX (Cataldo et al 1989Harvey et al 1990Harvey et al , 1991. At predetermined times after amendment, 1 0-g soil samples were removed from the pots of amended soil and subjected to exhaustive Soxhlet extraction with 200-mL methanol for 48 h. Methanol was chosen over acetonitrile as an extraction solvent because of its lower boiling point and corresponding lower probability of inducing thermal degradation of the explosive during the 48-h reflux period.…”