Comparison of Metabolisms of Single and Mixed Species on Nitramine Degradation

Kwon, Sung Hyun; Kim, In S.

Environmental Engineering Research 1998;3(1): 55-60.

¹R&D Center for Environment, Safety & Health, LG Corporate Institute of Technology, Seoul 137-724, Korea
²Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kwangju Institute of Science & Technology, Kwangju, 506-712, Korea

Corresponding Author: Sung Hyun Kwon ,

Received: February 6, 1998; Accepted: March 1, 1998.

ABSTRACT

The biodegradation of two popular nitramine energetics were investigated. The HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-l,3,5,7-tetrazocine) was mineralized by anaerobic mixed denitrifiers in digested sewage sludge culture. An initial HMX concentration of 120mg/L decreased to a non-detectable level ()99% removal efficiency) in 8 days of incubation under strict anaerobic conditions. It was, however, not effectively metabolized by single denitrifying species. P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis in a nitrogen limiting conditions under their optimum growth conditions. The other nitramine energetic, ADN (ammonium dinitramide), was observed to be mineralized well in the anaerobic mixed culture. The initial ADN concentration of 250mg/L was reduced to non-detectable levels ()99% removal efficiency) in 5days of incubation under anaerobic conditions. These results indicate that anaerobic mixed cultures, compared to the pure mono culutre, are superior in the degradative efficiency of nitramine energetics.

Keywords: Nitramine energetics | HMX | ADN | Biodegradation