Human health risks from TNT, RDX, and HMX in environmental media and consideration of the US Regulatory Environment

Although the most economical method for disposing of unwanted energetic high explosives [HEs; e.g., 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-triazine (RDX, also known as Cyclonite), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX, also known as Octogen)] involves open burning and open or underground detonation [OB/O(U)D]; federal, state, and even local government agencies in the United States (U.S.) are implementing stricter environmental regulations that eventually may prevent such activities. These stricter regulations will promote alternative technologies that are designed to be environmentally benign. However, past HE-waste disposal practices at manufacturing and fabrication facilities in the U.S. have included uncontrolled OB/O(U)D, as well as direct surface discharge of HE-contaminated waste water, resulting in contaminated environmental media (e.g., ground water, soil, and perhaps even edible vegetation) near residential areas. Using TNT, RDX, and HMX as examples, this paper describes how risk-based standards for HEs can be derived that account for potential multimedia exposures (associated with contaminated air, water, food, and soil) by individuals near a contaminated site, and used to (1) protect public health and safety; (2)prevent limited resources from being dedicated to unnecessary cleanup activities; and (3) identify the most cost-effective, practical, and environmentally benign technologies suitable for integrating with the handling of the large quantity of high explosives scheduled for demilitarization

A methodology for assessing the impact of mutagens on aquatic ecosystems. Final report

Assessments of impacts of hazardous agents (i.e., chemical and physical mutagens) on human health have focused on defining the effects of chronic exposure on individuals, with cancer being the main effect of concern. In contrast, impacts on ecosystems have traditionally been gauged by the assessment of near-term organism mortality, which is clearly not a useful endpoint for assessing the long-term effects of chronic exposures. Impacts on individual organisms that affect the long-term survival of populations are much more important but are also more difficult to define. Therefore, methods that provide accurate measures of sub-lethal effects that are linked to population survival are required so that accurate assessments of environmental damage can be made and remediation efforts, if required, can be initiated. Radioactive substances have entered aquatic environments as a result of research and production activities, intentional disposal, and accidental discharges. At several DOE sites, surface waters and sediments are contaminated with radioactive and mutagenic materials. The accident at the Chernobyl power station in the former Soviet Union (FSU) has resulted in the contamination of biota present in the Kiev Reservoir. This documents presents a methodology which addresses the effects of a direct-acting mutagen (radiation) on aquantic organisms by applying sensitive techniques for assessing damage to genetic material

Chemical and biological systems for regenerating activated carbon contaminated with high explosives

Activated carbon has been used as a substrate for efficiently removing high explosives (HEs) from aqueous and gaseous waste streams. Carbon that is saturated with HEs, however, constitutes a solid waste and is currently being stored because appropriate technologies for its treatment are not available. Because conventional treatment strategies (i.e., incineration, open burning) are not safe or will not be in compliance with future regulations, new and cost-effective methods are required for the elimination of this solid waste. Furthermore, because the purchase of activated carbon and its disposal after loading with HEs will be expensive, an ideal treatment method would result in the regeneration of the carbon thereby permitting its reuse. Coupling chemical and biological treatment systems, such as those described below, will effectively meet these technical requirements. The successful completion of this project will result in the creation of engineered commercial systems that will present safe and efficient methods for reducing the quantities of HE-laden activated carbon wastes that are currently in storage or are generated as a result of demilitarization activities. Biological treatment of hazardous wastes is desirable because the biodegradation process ultimately leads to the mineralization (e.g., conversion to carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas, and water) of parent compounds and has favorable public acceptance. These methods will also be cost- effective because they will not require large expenditures of energy and will permit the reuse of the activated carbon. Accordingly, this technology will have broad applications in the private sector and will be a prime candidate for technology transfer