Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review

Energetic materials comprise both explosives and propellants. When released to the biosphere, energetics are xenobiotic contaminants which pose toxic hazards to ecosystems, humans, and other biota. Soils worldwide are contaminated by energetic materials from manufacturing operations; military confli...

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Main Author: John Pichtel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/617236
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author John Pichtel
author_facet John Pichtel
author_sort John Pichtel
collection DOAJ
description Energetic materials comprise both explosives and propellants. When released to the biosphere, energetics are xenobiotic contaminants which pose toxic hazards to ecosystems, humans, and other biota. Soils worldwide are contaminated by energetic materials from manufacturing operations; military conflict; military training activities at firing and impact ranges; and open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) of obsolete munitions. Energetic materials undergo varying degrees of chemical and biochemical transformation depending on the compounds involved and environmental factors. This paper addresses the occurrence of energetic materials in soils including a discussion of their fates after contact with soil. Emphasis is placed on the explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), and the propellant ingredients nitroglycerin (NG), nitroguanidine (NQ), nitrocellulose (NC), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), and perchlorate.
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spelling doaj-art-60e9b98f5890473c94c8d5f969707f692025-02-03T01:31:49ZengWileyApplied and Environmental Soil Science1687-76671687-76752012-01-01201210.1155/2012/617236617236Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A ReviewJohn Pichtel0Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USAEnergetic materials comprise both explosives and propellants. When released to the biosphere, energetics are xenobiotic contaminants which pose toxic hazards to ecosystems, humans, and other biota. Soils worldwide are contaminated by energetic materials from manufacturing operations; military conflict; military training activities at firing and impact ranges; and open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) of obsolete munitions. Energetic materials undergo varying degrees of chemical and biochemical transformation depending on the compounds involved and environmental factors. This paper addresses the occurrence of energetic materials in soils including a discussion of their fates after contact with soil. Emphasis is placed on the explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), and the propellant ingredients nitroglycerin (NG), nitroguanidine (NQ), nitrocellulose (NC), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), and perchlorate.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/617236
spellingShingle John Pichtel
Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
Applied and Environmental Soil Science
title Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
title_full Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
title_fullStr Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
title_short Distribution and Fate of Military Explosives and Propellants in Soil: A Review
title_sort distribution and fate of military explosives and propellants in soil a review
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/617236
work_keys_str_mv AT johnpichtel distributionandfateofmilitaryexplosivesandpropellantsinsoilareview