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In situ pilot test for bioremediation of energetic compound-contaminated soil at a former military demolition range site

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Abstract

Bioremediation was performed in situ at a former military range site to assess the performance of native bacteria in degrading hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The fate of these pollutants in soil and soil pore water was investigated as influenced by waste glycerol amendment to the soil. Following waste glycerol application, there was an accumulation of organic carbon that promoted microbial activity, converting organic carbon into acetate and propionate, which are intermediate compounds in anaerobic processes. This augmentation of anaerobic activity strongly correlated to a noticeable reduction in RDX concentrations in the amended soil. Changes in concentrations of RDX in pore water were similar to those observed in the soil suggesting that RDX leaching from the soil matrix, and treatment with waste glycerol, contributed to the enhanced removal of RDX from the water and soil. This was not the case with 2,4-DNT, which was neither found in pore water nor affected by the waste glycerol treatment. Results from saturated conditions and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure testing, to investigate the environmental fate of 2,4-DNT, indicated that 2,4-DNT found on site was relatively inert and was likely to remain in its current state on the site.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the four CDSB Environment Services of the Canadian Department of National Defense at Garrison Petawawa for funding of this work. We thank N. Kemka for assistance with field work, A. Halasz for technical support, and L. Paquet and A. Corriveau for the analytical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada

    Louis B. Jugnia, Dominic Manno & Karine Drouin

  2. National Defence, Garrison Petawawa, 4 CDSG Environmental Services 101 Menin Road, Building S-600, PO Box 9999, Stn Main Petawawa, ON, K8H 2X3, Canada

    Meghan Hendry

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  1. Louis B. Jugnia
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  2. Dominic Manno
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  3. Karine Drouin
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  4. Meghan Hendry
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Correspondence to Louis B. Jugnia.

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Jugnia, L.B., Manno, D., Drouin, K. et al. In situ pilot test for bioremediation of energetic compound-contaminated soil at a former military demolition range site. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 19436–19445 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2115-y

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