Degradation of Energetic Compounds using Zero-Valent Iron (ZVI)

摘要

The long-term goal of this research was to develop a more cost- effective technology for the treatment of wastewaters containing energetic compounds. As the first phase of this research, we conducted a study to demonstrate the feasibility of using zero-valent iron (ZVI) to treat energetic compounds. ZVI was evaluated as a reductant for the degradation of 2,4,6- trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5- trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro- 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7- tetrazocine (HMX), and nitroglycerin (NG). We hypothesized that reduction of these energetic compounds with ZVI would rapidly convert them to products that are either non-toxic or more readily mineralized in a subsequent oxidative treatment. This was demonstrated successfully in a series of laboratory-scale experiments with batch and flow-through reactors, using ZVI treatment alone or ZVI treatment followed by Fenton oxidation.