Degradation of energetic compounds using an integrated zero-valent iron-Fenton process

The effect of reductive treatment with elemental iron on the extent of mineralization by Fenton oxidation was studied for the explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazine (RDX) using a completely-stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The results support the hypothesis that TNT and RDX are reduced with elemental iron to products that are oxidized more rapidly and completely by Fenton's reagent. Iron pretreatment enhanced the extent of TOC removal by approximately $20\%\;and\;60\%$ for TNT and RDX, respectively. Complete TOC removal was achieved for TNT and RDX solutions with iron pretreatment under optimal conditions. On the other hand, without iron pretreatment, complete mineralization of TNT and RDX solutions were not achieved even with much higher $H_2O_2$ and $Fe^{2+}$ concentrations. The bench-scale iron treatment-Fenton oxidation integrated system showed more than $95\%$ TOC removal for TNT and RDX solutions under optimal conditions. The proposed zero-valent iron-Fenton process was evaluated with pink water from the Iowa Army ammunition plant. Results from batch and column experiments show that TNT, RDX, and octahydro-l,3,5,7-tetranitro-l,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) were completely removed from the pink water and that triaminotoluene (TAT) and ${NH_4}^+$ were recovered as products in reduction with zero-valent iron. By using an integrated system, $83.3\pm4.2\%$ of TOC was removed in a CSTR with 10 mM of $Fe^{2+}$ and 50 mM of $H_2O_2$. These results suggest that the reduction products of TNT and RDX are more rapidly and completely mineralized by Fenton oxidation and that a sequential iron treatment-Fenton oxidation process may be a viable technology for pink water treatment.