Fate of the explosive hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (rdx) in soil and bioaccumulation in bush bean hydroponic plants

Soils amended with [ 14 C]hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) were sampled over 60 d and subjected to exhaustive Soxhlet extraction followed by HPLC analysis. RDX was the only radiolabeled compound observed in soil extracts. Emission of volatile organics and 14 CO 2 from soil accounted for only 0.31% of the amended radiolabel. Mass balance for RDX‐amended soil was better than 84% throughout the two‐month study. The analytical method developed for plants involved acid hydrolysis, solvent extraction, fractionation on Florisil® adsorbent and separation by HPLC. The described methodology allowed for RDX recovery of 86 ± 3% from fortified bush bean leaf tissue. Further experiments were conducted with bush bean plants maintained on RDX‐containing hydroponic solutions. Hydroponic plants did not emit detectable amounts of 14 CO 2 or radiolabeled volatile organics. Analysis of the plant tissue indicated bioaccumulation of RDX in the aerial tissues of hydroponic plants exposed for either 1 or 7 d. Metabolism of RDX to polar metabolites was observed in plants exposed for 7 d.