Environmental Fate Studies of HMX Screening Studies. Phase 1
Abstract
This report describes preliminary screening test that were performed to identify the dominant transport and transformation processes that affect the persistence of 1,3,5,7-octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitrotetrazocine (HMX) in the aquatic enviroment. The physical transport processes (volatilization, sediment sorption, and biosorption) were found not to be a major fate processes for HMX. A volatilization rate constant was estimated from laboratory experiments. The sorption partition coefficient K for HMX on Holston River sediment was measured at 8.7. Based on an organic carbon content of 1.3% in the sediment, a sub K value of 670 was calculated. The biosorption partition coefficient K was measured to be 63. Transformation processes that were identified to be important fate processes for HMX were photolysis and biotransformation. A first-order photolysis rate constant of 0.15/day was measured for the surface of Holston River water. The biotransformation of HMX occurs very slowly under anaerobic conditions in Holston River water but is greatly accelerated in the presence of extra organic nutrient. The aerobic biotransformation of HMX was found to occur rapidly in freshly collected HMX line wastestream water or in Holston River water with extra organic nutrients; however, the transforming organisms could not be enriched for the preliminary estimation of a biotransformation rate constant.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA148978
Entities
People
- D. L. Haynes
- P. L. Alferness
- R. J. Spanggord
- T. W. Chou
- W. R. Mabey
Organizations
- SRI International