Mitigation of Ricin Contamination in Soils: Sorption and Degradation
Abstract
Ricin is a highly toxic protein isolated from castor beans. Ricin is a weapon of choice for terrorists because large quantities of castor beans can be grown and the toxin readily separated from the beans. Soils contain a variety of inorganic minerals, organic matter and microorganisms. Soil inorganic minerals and organic matter are known to effectively sorb a wide variety of compounds, such as pesticides and other potential contaminants. Soil microorganisms are known to degrade a variety of organics, such as petroleum and pesticides. Because clay mineralogy, organic matter content and microbial populations differ in soils, it is important to identify minerals that strongly sorb ricin and characterize microorganisms that can effectively degrade the protein. The minerals, organic matter and microorganisms in some soils might be more effective in sorption and degradation of ricin than other soils. The objectives of this research were to examine the capacity of soil constituents and microbes to retain and degrade ricin that was released into the environment. To achieve these objectives, we examined: (1) the ricin contents of soils in formerly and currently cropped castor fields; (2) the functional and taxonomic diversity of microbes in castor versus cotton field soils; (3) the capacity of soil microbes to degrade ricin; and (4) the capacity of soil minerals and other materials to sorb ricin.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA482765
Entities
People
- C. Green
- E. Boroda
- J. Zak
- M. San Francisco
- R. Zartman
- W. James
Organizations
- Texas Tech University