Oxidation/Biodegradation of Solid Propellants From a 4.2-Inch Chemical Round
Abstract
DoD facilities in the U.S. currently store propellants and propellant manufacturing wastes in quantities exceeding thousands of pounds. Many of these propellants were manufactured over 40 years ago with the intended purpose of configuring into chemical agent rounds or conventional high-energy mortars and projectiles. With the destruction of the US chemical agent inventory the now antiquated propellants remain in storage awaiting disposal. Re-use of these materials is unlikely due to advances in modern explosives formulations and the poor economics of converting them to other usable goods. Due to more stringent environmental regulations the traditional disposal methods of incineration and open burning or detonation are becoming more difficult to permit. Oxidation techniques have been used to treat ground water containing low-level contaminants. Studies have previously found nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine based propellants to be difficult to treat biologically. In this study oxidation using peroxide and ozone was used in combination with biodegradation to treat the neutralized solid propellants M1 and M8 that were washed out of 4.2-inch chemical rounds. The toxicity of pre and post-treatment materials was measured and compared. A combination treatment of hydrolyzed propellants with peroxone and biodegradation was effective in reducing toxicity and removing cellulose based compounds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA449556
Entities
People
- L. C. Rowe
- Mark A. Guelta
- Mark V. Haley
Organizations
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center