Munitions constituents enter natural waters from the corrosion of unexploded ordnance casings and from runoff near shooting ranges. Exposure to sunlight can cause some of these constituents to degrade. In this study, the photolysis rates of dissolved 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and other nitroaromatic constituents were measured as a function of temperature and dissolved substances. Samples were exposed to simulated sunlight using a Suntest CPS+� solar simulator under various filters designed to select specific regions of the solar spectrum to examine the wavelength dependence of photolysis. Subsequent to the irradiation, the samples were analyzed via HPLC, and the first-order rate constants for the photolysis reaction were determined. The rates of photolysis increased with increasing temperature and the presence of dissolved substances. This poster will present the rates of degradation of munitions constitutents in seawater at various temperatures and in the presence of dissolved substances.

Determination of the impact of temperature and dissolved substances on the photolysis of munitions constituents in natural waters

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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