In Situ Biodegradation of Nitroaromatic Compounds in Soil
Abstract
Nitroaromatic compounds, particularly nitrotoluenes used as explosives and nitroaromatic herbicides such as dinoseb, are serious environmental contaminants at industrial locations nationwide. Research performed during the 1970s (15,18) generally indicated that complete biomineralization of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and similar highly nitrated compounds did not occur. Biological reductions (R-NO2-R-NO-R-NHOH-R-NH2) and polymerization reactions appeared to occur, but actual degradation of aromatic nuclei was not observed. However, this work involved studies of aerobic systems such as activated sludge and thermophilic composts, and pure culture studies of aerobic fungi and bacteria such as pseudomonads. Pure cultures of some anaerobic bacteria such as Veillonella alcalescens (35) were examined, with similar results. Boopathy and Kulpa (2) recently isolated a Desulfovibrio that used TNT as a sole source of nitrogen, producing toluene as-an end product. A Pseudomonas that produced dinitrotoluene-, mononitrotoluene, and toluene from TNT, perhaps by hydride additions was isolated by Duque et al. (10). These are still incomplete degradations of the parent molecule.. Since the Desulfovibrio strain required obligately anaerobic conditions
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 14, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA286502
Entities
People
- Ronald L. Crawford
Organizations
- University of Idaho