Laboratory Studies of Soil Sorption/ Transformation of TNT, RDX, and HMX
Abstract
Subsurface contamination by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TM), 2,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and oxyhydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMx) is a problem at many military installations associated with munitions manufacturing, loading, assembling, and packing. To support Department of Defense remediation and containment goals, information on the processes affecting the subsurface transport of these explosives is needed. Specifically, information pertaining to sorption and transformation of these explosives is needed in order to facilitate numerical model development. This study provides complementary batch and column information on TNT and RDX sorption and transformation and column information on HMX sorption and transformation. Batch and column testing included soils with a wide range of physical properties, and attention was given to sterilized and unsterilized soils. One soil was common to both batch and column. Reductive transformation was established as an important process for TNT. Measurement of reductive transformation products provided definitive evidence of TNT transformation. Reductive transformation was also suspected for RDX and HMX, although RDX and HMX transformation products were not measured.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA353998
Entities
People
- Dan M. Townsend
- James M. Brannon
- Judith C. Pennington
- Tommy E. Myers
- William M. Davis