Laboratory Data from Microcosms Showing the RDX Degradation Rate

Laboratory data from microcosms showing the rate RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) tagged with radioactive carbon (14C) degraded to the final end product, radioactive carbon dioxide (14CO2), under different chemical conditions by adding different electron acceptors. Two different electron acceptors were added — manganese (Mn(IV)), the red triangles in the graph: and iron (Fe(III)), the blue squares. The circles were different control microcosms where electron acceptors were not added. The microcosms were constructed with contaminated sediments from the Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Bangor, Washington, site. The graph demonstrates that RDX can degrade under metal-reducing conditions. Modified from figure 1, Bradley and Dinicola, 2005.