Feasibility of White-rot Fungi for Biodegradation of PCP-treated Ammunition Boxes.

Abstract

Millions of pounds of wood ammunition boxes treated with the wood preservative pentachiorophenol (PCP) are being stockpiled at military installations, primarily depots, because cost-effective disposal is not readily available. The Army needs cost-effective and environmentally benign treatment methods for destruction and disposal of PCP-treated wood products. This research investigated the use of white-rot fungi to biodegrade PCP-treated wood. Results showed that white-rot fungi effectively decreased the PCP concentration in contaminated hardwood and softwood chips. Under ideal laboratory conditions the fungi reduced the PCP concentration by 80 percent; a field study showed only a 30 percent decrease in PCP concentration. Despite this disparity, this study demonstrated the feasibility of using white-rot fungi to reduce PCP in treated wood.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA292971

Entities

People

  • Diane Dietrich
  • Jennifer Bolduc
  • Richard J. Scholze
  • Richard T. Lamar

Organizations

  • Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Biodegradation
  • Body Weight
  • Cells
  • Cellular Structures
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Protection
  • Fungi
  • Hardwoods
  • Hazardous Waste
  • High Temperature
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Materials
  • Medical Personnel
  • Metabolism
  • Moisture Content
  • Sodium Hydroxide

Fields of Study

  • Agricultural and Food sciences

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Forest Ecology