Inhibition of soil microbial activity by nitrogen-based energetic materials

From National Research Council Canada

DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3862
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Name affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Aquatic and Crop Resource Development
  2. National Research Council of Canada. Human Health Therapeutics
FormatText, Article
Journal titleEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry
ISSN0730-7268
1552-8618
Subjectecological risk assessment; energetic materials; explosives; microbial activity; soil toxicity
Abstract
We investigated individual toxicities of the nitrogen-based energetic materials (EMs) 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT); 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2-ADNT); 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (4-ADNT); and nitroglycerin (NG) on microbial activity in Sassafras sandy loam (SSL) soil, which has physicochemical characteristics that support very high qualitative relative bioavailability for organic chemicals. Batches of SSL soil for basal respiration (BR) and substrate-induced respiration (SIR) assays were separately amended with individual EMs or acetone carrier control. Total microbial biomass carbon (biomass C) was determined from CO2 production increases after addition of 2500 mg/kg of glucose–water slurry to the soil. Exposure concentrations of each EM in soil were determined using US Environmental Protection Agency method 8330A. Basal respiration was the most sensitive endpoint for assessing the effects of nitroaromatic EMs on microbial activity in SSL, whereas SIR and biomass C were more sensitive endpoints for assessing the effects of NG in soil. The orders of toxicity (from greatest to least) were 4-ADNT > 2,4-DNT = 2-ADNT > NG for BR; but for SIR and biomass C, the order of toxicity was NG > 2,4-DNT > 2-ADNT = 4-ADNT. No inhibition of SIR was found up to and including the greatest concentration of each ADNT tested in SSL. These ecotoxicological data will be helpful in identifying concentrations of contaminant EMs in soil that present acceptable ecological risks for biologically mediated processes in soil.
Publication date
PublisherWiley
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
NRC numberNRC-ACRD-56325
NPARC number23002170
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Record modified2020-03-16
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