Electrochemical Reduction of Energetically Contaminated Wastewater: Development and Testing of Pilot Scale Reactor

摘要

TNT, DNT, and RDX are major constituents of munitions production wastewaters. DNT enters waste-streams during propellant production, whereas TNT and RDX enter waste-streams during munitions loading and demilitarization. This study evaluated the rate kinetics of electrochemical reduction of simulated wastewater containing similar organic strength as found in the Army munitions wastewaters. Experiments to study the electrochemical reduction of DNT in the presence of ethanol and a mixture of TNT and RDX were conducted for various electrical currents and two different stir rates, and also in the presence and absence of oxygen. The study also tested the performance of a continuous flow- through pilot scale reactor for electrochemical reduction of simulated munitions wastewaters. High pressure liquid chromatography was used for analysis in TNT and RDX experiments. The intermediate products of RDX could not be quantified and hence only qualitative analysis of RDX intermediate products were presented. The results of the batch reactor tests in the presence and absence of dissolved oxygen or solution showed that both propellant and pinkwater can be effectively electrochemically reduced.