Biotransformations of Explosives

During the past century, explosives have been produced in lame quantities for both military and industrial purposes. Many explosives have been found to be highly resistant to biodegradation in the environment, and considerable areas of land have become contaminated with residues resulting from their manufacture, storage, use, and disposal. Such contamination is thought to affect at least 75,000 sites in the U.S. (Rosenblatt et al., 1991). An estimated 0.82 million cubic metres of soil at former ordinance sites and military proving grounds in the U.S. arecontaminated with TNT and its metabolites (USATHAMA, 1989). Increased awareness of environmental problems has resulted in a considerable volume of research into the fate of explosives in the environment and into means for the cost-effective removal of explosive residues from soil and water. The cleanup costs are enormous; estimated costs for incineration are $400 to $600/yd3 of soil (Griest etal.. 1998). Bioremediation, and most particularly in situ bioremediation, could potentially offer a relatively low cost method for decontamination. This review summarizes recent developments in research concerning transformations of important secondary high explosives in living systems.