Munitions manufacturing wastewater is commonly treated by adsorption to activated carbon. We are proposing a new munitions manufacturing wastewater treatment system consisting of a reductive pre-treatment process and subsequent Fenton's oxidation to mineralize energetic compounds such as TNT and RDX. The pre-treatment involves reduction of electron-withdrawing nitro groups of TNT and RDX with elemental iron. The iron-treated explosives are then oxidized by Fenton's reagent through the addition of H2O2. The objective of this work is to investigate the feasibility of using elemental iron to convert TNT and RDX to reduction products which may be more oxidizable in subsequent Fenton's oxidation. Results of batch reduction experiments with elemental iron showed complete removal of TNT and RDX and formation of the reduction products within 60 minutes. Results of column experiments showed a rapid and complete removal of TNT and RDX within 9.7 minutes retention time. Fitting observed effluent concentrations to a one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation, we were able to predict the concentration profiles of TNT and RDX in the iron column and calculate the iron column length required for the desired removal. The results of Fenton's oxidation experiments showed that iron pre-treatment enhanced both the rate and extent of TNT and RDX mineralization by Fenton's oxidation.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
May 01 2003
Enhancing oxidation of TNT and RDX in wastewater: pre-treatment with elemental iron
S.-Y. Oh;
S.-Y. Oh
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark
Search for other works by this author on:
D.K. Cha;
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark
E-mail: cha@ce.udel.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
P.C. Chiu;
P.C. Chiu
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark
Search for other works by this author on:
B.J. Kim
B.J. Kim
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark
Search for other works by this author on:
Water Sci Technol (2003) 47 (10): 93–99.
Citation
S.-Y. Oh, D.K. Cha, P.C. Chiu, B.J. Kim; Enhancing oxidation of TNT and RDX in wastewater: pre-treatment with elemental iron. Water Sci Technol 1 May 2003; 47 (10): 93–99. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2003.0547
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Impact Factor 2.430
CiteScore 3.4 • Q2
13 days submission to first
decision
1,439,880 downloads in 2021