Demonstration of the Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor for Pinkwater Treatment at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant
Abstract
This report documents a demonstration project conducted at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma. The technology is based on anaerobic bacteria which attack dissolved explosives such as TNT and RDX at the nitro groups, converting them to amino groups. Once the explosives are transformed, they become amenable to aerobic degradation. This process functions as a pretreatment for the pinkwater, after which the effluent is discharged to an aerobic treatment plant and mixed with the rest of the plant's wastewater. The bacteria are cultivated on granules of activated carbon contained in a fluidized bed. The demonstration equipment controlled the conditions to maintain favorable conditions for anaerobic bacteria through control of temperature, pH, and nutrients. Fuel grade ethanol was used as the substrate to maintain the bacterial population. The results show that this technique can be successful and less costly than the existing granular activated carbon adsorption process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA433804
Entities
People
- Robert L. Heine
- Stephen W. Maloney
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center