Extraction of TNT from aggregate soil fractions.
Past explosives manufacture, disposal, and training activities have contaminated soil at many military facilities, posing health and environmental risks through contact, potential detonation, and leaching into ground water. While methods have been confirmed for extraction and measuring explosives concentration in soil, no work has addressed aggregate size material (the >2 mm gravel and cobbles) that often occurs with the smaller soil fractions. This paper describes methods and results for extraction and measurement of TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) in aggregate material from 1/2 to 2-1/1 from a WWII era ammunition plant. TNT was extracted into acetonitrile by both Soxhlet and ultrasonic extraction methods. High pressure liquid chromatography analyses of extracts showed expected variation among samples. Also effective extraction and determination of TNT concentration for each aggregate size fraction was achieved.
Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of nitroorganics in munitions wastewater
Concentrations of HMX, RDX, TNT, and 2,4-DNT are determined in munitions wastewater. Aqueous samples are diluted with an equal volume of 76/24 (v/v) methanol-acetonitrile, filtered through a 0.4-..mu..m polycarbonate membrane, and analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC using an LC-8 column with 50/38/12 (v/v/v) water-methanol-acetonitrile. The method provided linear calibration curves to at least several hundred micrograms per liter. Detection limits were conservatively estimated to be 26, 22, 14, and 10 ..mu..g/L for HMX, RDX, TNT, and 2,4-DNT, respectively, with corresponding standard deviations of +/- 3.4, 3.3, 4.4, and 4.6 ..mu..g/L up to concentrations of 250 ..mu..g/L. A ruggedness test involving the major manipulative steps in the procedure indicated that consistent results required glass sample containers, preconditioning of filters, and careful maintenance of sample-to-organic solvent ratio. The method was tested with munition wastewater from several Army ammunition plants and found to perform adequately for load and pack wastewaters, wastewater from HMX/RDX manufacture, and contaminated groundwater. 32 references, 4 figures, 4 tables.
Migration of explosives and chlorinated pesticides in a simulated sanitary landfill
Abstract : This report presents results of a series of tests to determine whether the hazardous substances DDT and TNT will leach from or migrate through a simulated sanitary landfill. DDT and two of its degradation products, DDD and DDE, were not recovered from samples of the leachates tested. Analysis of soil core samples showed some vertical migration and very little horizontal migration. TNT analysis in leachates was accomplished by applying a sensitive method of analysis--pulse polarography. Fewer than five parts per billion of TNT were found in leachates from soil systems. TNT was detected in core samples from a soil/solid waste system, but not from a soil system. It is theorized that some channelization of flow occurred. (Author)