Laboratory treatability study on hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine-(RDX-) contaminated soil from the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Burlington, Iowa

Soil in certain areas of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Burlington. Iowa, was contaminated with hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro- 1,3,5-triazine (RDX). A laboratory treatability study was conducted to examine the ability of native soil bacteria present in the contaminated sire to degrade RDX. The results indicated that RDX can be removed effectively From the soil by native soil bacteria through a co-metabolic process. Molasses, identified as an effective cosubstrate, is inexpensive, and this Factor makes the treatment system cost effective. The successful operation of aerobic-anoxic soil-slurry reactors in batch mode with RDX-contaminated soil showed that the technology can be scaled up for field demonstration. The RDX concentration in the contaminated soil was decreased by 98% after 4 months of reactor operation. The advantage of the slurry reactor is the simplicity of its operation. The method needs only mixing and the addition of molasses as cosubstrate.