Photochemical Transformation of Munitions Constituents in Marine Waters

Abstract

Previously the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) had sponsored work on the transport and transformation of munitions compounds (MC) in coastal aquatic systems. In the area of photolysis, recent work has suggested that the rate of transformation of compounds such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is rapid in seawater, but very little work has been done to determine what products are formed in a salt water environment and the rate at which those products undergo photochemical decay. Rapid transformation rates of some munitions in marine waters, through photolysis, dilution and metabolism, suggest that these munitions may not pose a long term pollution problem. However, if the transformation products are more toxic than the parent compound, then the liability of the Navy remains. In addition if the transformation pathways and rates are not fully characterized in marine systems, the lack of scientific information could lead to poor remediation and management decisions.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA581688

Entities

People

  • Daniel W. O'sullivan
  • Dianne L. Prak

Organizations

  • United States Naval Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aqueous Solutions
  • Biomedical Research
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Environment
  • Fish
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Magnesium Compounds
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Unexploded Ammunition
  • United States Naval Academy

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science
  • Marine Mammal Biology