Measurement of Nitroaromatic Explosives by Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography in Waters Collected Along a Tropical Estuary
Abstract
Novel methods for detecting nitroaromatic explosives use groundwater, seawater, or a mixture of seawater and MilliQ water. Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was used to detect nitroaromatic compounds added to samples collected from a tropical estuary (Kahana Bay, Oahu, HI). This is the first report measuring low levels of energetics added into natural water samples collected along an estuarine salinity transect (2, 5, 8, 15, 19, 27, 32, and 35 PSU). In addition to salinity differences among samples, dissolved organic carbon concentration ranged from 0.8 to 2.4 mg C L 1. No attenuation over the 0 h incubation time was seen for 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene, RDX, HMX, 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene, 1,3-Dinitrobenzene, Dinitrotoluene, and Amino-dinitrotoluene. There were more significant losses (50% to 60% d 1) for 2-, 3- and 4-nitrotoluene, and nitrobenzene. Little effect of salinity or dissolved organic carbon concentration was seen among these natural water samples. Because all samples were filtered to remove the natural bacterial assemblage, losses of 2-, 3- and 4-nitrotoluene and nitrobenzene were attributed to abiotic processes. Lack of attenuation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene, 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene, and 1,3-Dinitrobenzene contrasts with other reports for unfiltered, natural river water samples suggesting that these compounds are metabolized by natural bacterial assemblages within the stored sample.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA595043
Entities
People
- Braden C. Giordano
- Cameron Lindsay
- Christopher L Osburn
- Michael T. Montgomery
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory