and 9% of the HMX was recovered from plants.
Bioremediation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene-contami-
When two of the pots containing their contami-
nated soils by two different aerated compost sys-
tems. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 44:
nated tissues were mixed together and leached,
3% of the TNT and its transformation products
795800.
were leached in the first few liters, while 57% of
Griest, W .H., A.J. Stewart, R.L. Tyndall, J.E.
the RDX (including its nitroso transformation
Caton, C.H. Ho, K.S. Ironside, W.M. Caldwell,
product) and 80% of the HMX that was applied
and E. Tan (1993) Chemical and toxicological test-
were recovered after 20 liters (13 sequential leach-
ing of composted explosives-contaminated soil.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 12: 1105
ings). Rivera et al. (1998) also reported a signifi-
cant difference in the relative removals of RDX
1116.
and HMX from contaminated water.
Gunderson, C.A., J.M. Kostuk, M.H. Gibbs, G.E.
Napolitano, L.F. Wicker, J.E. Richmond, and A.J.
Stewart (1997) Multispecies toxicity assessment of
CONCLUSIONS
compost produced in bioremediation of an explo-
sives-contaminated sediment. Environmental Toxi-
The uptake and accumulation of explosives
cology and Chemistry, 16: 25292537.
and transformation products in plants is possible
and could provide a remediation method for both
Harvey, S.D., R.J. Fellows, D.A. Cataldo, and
contaminated water and soil in limited circum-
R.M. Bean (1991) Fate of the explosive hexahydro-
stances. If the only contaminant in the water was
1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in soil and bio-
TNT, then plants could be used to remove it. The
accumulation in bush bean hydroponic plants.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 10: 845
above-ground tissues remain uncontaminated
and could be sold. A plant such as kenaf that tran-
855.
spires a lot of water and has valuable biomass is a
Hughes, J.B., J. Shanks, M. Vanderford, J. Lau-
good candidate. It grew as well or better than con-
ritzen, and R. Bhadra (1997) Transformation of
trols when irrigated with water contaminated
TNT by aquatic plants and plant tissues cultures.
Environmental Science and Technology, 31: 266271.
with very high levels of explosives. Such a con-
tamination scenario is likely only at TNT produc-
Jenkins, T.F., C.A. Grant, G.S. Brar, P.G. Thorne,
tion facilities. However, the majority of contamin-
T.A. Ranney, and P.W . Schumacher (1996)
ated sites are load-and-pack and demilitarization
Assessment of sampling error associated with col-
activities, where the contamination is a combina-
lection and analysis of soil samples at explosives-
tion of nitramines and TNT and other explosives
contaminated sites. USA Cold Regions Research
not tested during this project. In these cases, the
and Engineering Laboratory, Special Report 96-15.
poor uptake of nitramines from contaminated-
Jenkins, T.F., M.E. Walsh, P.G. Thorne, S. Thi-
water irrigation would result in redeposition of
boutot, G. Ampleman, T.A. Ranney, and C.A.
HMX and RDX in surface soils. As accumulators of
Grant (1997) Assessment of sampling error associ-
TNT and nitramines from contaminated soils, kenaf
ated with collection and analysis of soil samples at
plants are effective, but growth is limited. If the
a firing range contaminated with HMX. USA Cold
plants were turned under and allowed to humify in
Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory,
situ, they may aggravate the situation by provid-
Special Report 97-22.
ing an environment that encourages the produc-
Lange, B.M., N. Hertkorn, and H. Sandermann,
tion of nitroso-RDX, an additional potentially
Jr. (1998) Chloroaniline/lignin conjugates as
toxic compound. If the nitramine-contaminated
model system for nonextractable pesticide resi-
dues in crop plants. Environmental Science and Tech-
tissues could be removed and processed in a man-
nology, 32: 21132118.
ner that degrades the explosives, then the use of
plant-uptake of explosives from moderately con-
Larson, S.L., R.P. Jones, L. Escalon, and D. Parker
taminated soils might be a possible alternative to
(1999) Classification of explosives transformation
products in plant tissues. Environmental Toxicology
excavation and ex-situ treatment. In such a case, a
and Chemistry, 18: 12701276.
plant that grows better than kenaf under these
conditions would have to be chosen.
Lenke, H., J. Warrelmann, G. Daun, K. Hund, U.
Sieglen, U. Walter, and H.-J. Knackmuss (1998)
Biological treatment of TNT-contaminated soil. 2.
LITERATURE CITED
Biologically induced immobilization of the con-
taminants and full-scale application. Environ-
Breitung, J., D. Bruns-Nagel, K. Steinbach, L.
mental Science and Technology, 32: 19641971.
Kaminski, D. Gemsa, and E. von Low (1996)
7
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