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Composting of soils/sediments and sludges containing toxic organics including high energy explosives. Final report [electronic resource].

Published
Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 1993.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description
38 pages : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators
United States. Department of Energy and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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Summary
Laboratory and pilot-scale experimentation were conducted to evaluate composting as an on-site treatment technology to remediate soils contaminated with hazardous waste at DOE`s PANTEX Plant. Suspected contaminated sites within the PANTEX Plant were sampled and analyzed for explosives, other organics, and inorganic wastes. Soils in drainage ditches and playas at PANTEX Plant were found to be contaminated with low levels of explosives (including RDX, HMX, PETN and TATB). Additional sites previously used for solvent disposal were heavily contaminated with solvents and transformation products of the solvent, as well as explosives and by-products of explosives. Laboratory studies were conducted using ¹⁴C-labeled explosives and ¹⁴C-labeled diacetone alcohol contaminated soil loaded into horse manure/hay composts at three rates: 20, 30, and 40%(W/W). The composts were incubated for six weeks at approximately 60°C with continuous aeration. All explosives degraded rapidly and were reduced to below detection limits within 3 weeks in the laboratory studies. ¹⁴C-degradates from ¹⁴C-RDX, ¹⁴C-HMX and ¹⁴C-TATB were largely limited to ¹⁴CO₂ and unextracted residue in the compost. Volatile and non-volatile ¹⁴C-degradates were found to result from ¹⁴C-PETN breakdown, but these compounds were not identified. ¹⁴C-diacetone alcohol concentrations were significantly reduced during composting. However, most of the radioactivity was volatilized from the compost as non-¹⁴CO₂ degradates or as ¹⁴C-diacetone alcohol. Pilot scale composts loaded with explosives contaminated soil at 30% (W/W) with intermittent aeration were monitored over six weeks. Data from the pilot-scale study generally was in agreement with the laboratory studies. However, the ¹⁴C-labeled TATB degraded much faster than the unlabeled TATB. Some formulations of TATB may be more resistant to composting activity than others.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:doe/ch--9208
doe/ch--9208
Subject(s)
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
07/01/1993.
"doe/ch--9208"
"DE94004325"
Kitchens, J.F.; Doyle, R.C.
IIT Research Inst., Newington, VA (United States)
Type of Report and Period Covered Note
Final; 07/01/1993 - 07/01/1993
Funding Information
W-31109-ENG-38
View MARC record | catkey: 14144765