Environmental fate, particularly photochemical degradation, of insensitive munitions 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) in aquatic systems is currently unknown. This study demonstrates that aqueous DNAN decays under both ultra-violet (UV) and sunlight radiation. Photo-decay of DNAN resulted in greater quantum yield of transformation (?UV-B = 2.6 x 10-3) under UV-B (280 ? 320 nm) light than under UV-A (?UV-A = 0.4 x 10-3 at 320 ? 400 nm) and simulated sunlight radiation (?sun = 0.6 x 10-3). Sunlight photo-transformation follows first order decay kinetics with a half-life (t1/2) of 17.0 � 1.1 h and calculated activation energy of 53 � 4 KJ/mol. The reaction rate only shows modest changes with ionic strengths (? t1/2 ~ +10 % from 0 to 6.8 x 10-3 M) and pH (? t1/2 ~ +13 % from 5.5 to 8.0). We further discuss the reaction mechanisms and products of the photo-transformation and their important implications to the fate of DNAN in the environment.

Photochemical degradation of insensitive munitions 2, 4-dinitroanisole in the environment

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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