Principles of a process for the decontamination of hexogen/hexyl-contaminated groundwater and surface water from abandoned military sites using fungi

Summary

Within the overall project for the “Biological decontamination of abandoned military sites”, this project has contributed to the development of microbiological decontamination processes for sites contaminated by explosives.

For test purposes, the site of Westphalia-Anhalt explosives manufacturer WASAG [Westfälisch-Anhaltinischen Sprengstoff AG] was used on the grounds that, in addition to TNT, this plant also produced the explosives hexogen (RDX) and hexyl (hexanitrodiphenylamine).

Procedure:

• The biological degradation of the explosives hexogen and hexyl by fungi has been investigated. To this end, site-specific fungi from soil and water samples collected on the site concerned have been isolated, and the concentration of those fungi which degrade hexogen or hexyl has been enriched.
• At the same time, a screening process has been undertaken for indigenous basidiomycetes which are capable of metabolising hexogen and hexyl. 

Results:

• Deuteromycetes isolated from the site, together with indigenous basidiomycetes, showed substantial potential for the degradation of hexogen and hexyl in fluid cultures. The fungi exploited these compounds as a nitrogen source, rather than as a carbon source. The availability of an additional nitrogen source, and the nature of that source, were of critical importance to the conversion rates achieved for both contaminants.
• In the degradation of explosive materials by the species of fungi selected, no biological contamination by toxins was observed. In fact, detoxification, particularly of hexyl, has been established.
• In degradation tests using the original groundwater samples, the species of fungi used were able to completely eliminate all the compounds present which were typical components of explosive materials.
• It has been demonstrated that deuteromycetes and many bacteria have the capability for the aerobic assimilation of nitrates.

Project Participants

Implementing Institution

Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH (IABG)

Promotion

Promoting institutions

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

More Project Informations

Project title:  Principles of a process for the decontamination of hexogen/hexyl-contaminated groundwater and surface water from abandoned military sites using fungi

Project number:  1451070/0 (Phase 1), 0251070A (Phase 2)

Project period:  1996 - 2001

Project region:  Germany (Bavaria)

Project contact:

Frau Dr. Lauer

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