2016 journal article

Impact of glycerin and lignosulfonate on biodegradation of high explosives in soil

JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY, 194, 1–9.

By: J. Won n & R. Borden n

author keywords: High explosives; TNT; RDX; HMX; Biodegradation
MeSH headings : Biodegradation, Environmental / drug effects; Explosive Agents / metabolism; Glycerol / pharmacology; Lignin / analogs & derivatives; Lignin / pharmacology; Models, Theoretical; Oxygen Consumption / drug effects; Soil / chemistry; Soil Pollutants / metabolism
TL;DR: Glycerin and lignosulfonate can be potentially used to stimulate RDX and HMX biodegradation by increasing oxygen consumption rates in soil, and Mathematical model simulations indicate that oxygen consumption Rates can be achieved with reasonable amendment loading rates. (via Semantic Scholar)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: August 6, 2018

Soil microcosms were constructed and monitored to evaluate the impact of substrate addition and transient aerobic and anaerobic conditions on TNT, RDX and HMX biodegradation in grenade range soils. While TNT was rapidly biodegraded under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions with and without organic substrate, substantial biodegradation of RDX, HMX, and RDX daughter products was not observed under aerobic conditions. However, RDX and HMX were significantly biodegraded under anaerobic conditions, without accumulation of TNT or RDX daughter products (2-ADNT, 4-ADNT, MNX, DNX, and TNX). In separate microcosms containing grenade range soil, glycerin and lignosulfonate addition enhanced oxygen consumption, increasing the consumption rate >200% compared to untreated soils. Mathematical model simulations indicate that oxygen consumption rates of 5 to 20g/m 3 /d can be achieved with reasonable amendment loading rates. These results indicate that glycerin and lignosulfonate can be potentially used to stimulate RDX and HMX biodegradation by increasing oxygen consumption rates in soil.