Accession Number:

ADA505830

Title:

The Fate of Nitroaromatic (TNT) and Nitramine (RDX and HMX) Explosives in Fractured and Weathered Soils

Descriptive Note:

Conference paper

Corporate Author:

ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER VICKSBURG MS

Personal Author(s):

• Douglas, T. A.
• Walsh, M. E.
• McGrath, C. J.
• Weiss, Jr., C. A.
• Jones, A. M.
• Trainor, T. P.

Report Date:

2008-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

We investigated the fate of explosives compounds in slurries containing fractured and weathered soil particles. Three soils were crushed with a piston to emulate detonation-induced fracturing. We used X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and gas adsorption surface area measurements to quantify the mineralogies and surfaces of the weathered and fractured soil particles. Soil batch slurries were prepared by spiking the soils with waters containing TNT, 2,4-DNT, HMX and RDX. Batch samples were collected 10 times over 92 days and the concentrations of the four spiked explosives compounds and TNT breakdown products 2ADNT and 4ADNT were measured. TNT, 2,4-DNT, RDX, and HMX exhibited substantially greater analyte loss batch solutions containing crushed soils compared to their uncrushed, weathered counterparts. This suggests explosives compounds breakdown more readily in the presence of fresh mineral and soil particle surfaces than in the presence of weathered surfaces. Concentrations of TNT breakdown products 2ADNT and 4ADNT were slightly greater in the slurries containing weathered soils than in slurries containing crushed soils. We suspect this is because these compounds are breaking down more rapidly to diamino and triamino compounds in the crushed soil batches than in the weathered batches. Following the batch runs the weathered, unfractured soils contained lower TNT, 2,4-DNT, RDX, HMX,2ADNT, and 4ADNT concentrations than their crushed counterparts. This suggests enhanced transformation of explosives compounds in the crushed soils is not associated with enhanced adsorption onto mineral surfaces but, rather, is associated with degradation to tertiary breakdown products.

Descriptors:

• *SOIL POLLUTION
• *SOIL CHEMISTRY
• *EXPLOSIVES
• AMMUNITION
• MINERALOGY
• NITRAMINES
• RANGES(FACILITIES)
• WEATHERING
• ARMY RESEARCH
• SYMPOSIA

Subject Categories:

• Geology, Geochemistry and Mineralogy
• Ammunition and Explosives
• Solid Wastes and Pollution and Control
• Water Pollution and Control

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE