Biodegradation of nitro-explosives.
Environmental contamination by nitro compounds is associated principally with the explosives industry. However, global production and use of explosives is unavoidable. The presently widely used nitro-explosives are TNT (Trinitrotoluene), RDX (Royal Demolition Explosive) and HMX (High Melting Explosive). Nevertheless, the problems of these nitro-explosives are almost parallel due to their similarities of production processes, abundance of nitro-explosives and resembling chemical structures. The nitro-explosives per se as well as their environmental transformation products are toxic, showing symptoms as methaemoglobinaemia, kidney trouble, jaundice etc. Hence their removal/degradation from soil/water is essential. Aerobic and anaerobic degradation of TNT and RDX have been reported, while for HMX anaerobic or anoxic degradation have been described in many studies. A multisystem involvement using plants in remediation is gaining importance. Thus the information about degradation of nitro-explosives is available in jigsaw pieces which needs to be arranged and lacunae filled to get concrete degradative schemes so that environmental pollution from nitro-explosives can be dealt with more successfully at a macroscale. An overview of the reports on nitro-explosives degradation, future outlook and studies done by us are presented in this review.
Kanekar
Pradnya
P
Microbial Sciences Division, Agharkar Research Institute, G. G. Agarkar Road, Pune 411 004, India. kanekarp@rediffmail.com
Dautpure
Premlata
P
Sarnaik
Seema
S
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014227:Triazines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014227:Triazines; D014303:Trinitrotoluene