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Fate of the explosive hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (rdx) in soil and bioaccumulation in bush bean hydroponic plants
Author(s) -
Harvey Scott D.,
Fellows Robert J.,
Cataldo Dominic A.,
Bean Roger M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620100701
Subject(s) - bioaccumulation , chemistry , extraction (chemistry) , environmental chemistry , soil water , fractionation , formaldehyde , chromatography , biology , organic chemistry , ecology
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.