2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) contamination is widespread around munitions manufacturing and weapons testing areas. TNT is a toxic substance and suspected carcinogen. Current groundwater remediation technologies are invasive and costly, which results in delayed cleanup and contaminant migration.
Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) has been shown to reduce TNT to its less-harmful, biodegradable degradation products. This project involved NZVI synthesis, evaluation of NZVI kinetics, and its behavior in a soil matrix.
Results show that NZVI is a highly effective reducing agent that is capable of TNT degradation in minutes. Further, the lifetime of NZVI makes it a practical technology for in situ application.