Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Biological Transformation Pathways Of 2,4-Dinitro Anisole And N-Methyl Paranitro Aniline In Anaerobic Fluidized-Bed Bioreactors, William E. Platten Iii, David Bailey, Makram T. Suidan, Stephen W. Maloney

United States Army: Publications

The US Army is evaluating new, insensitive explosives to produce safer munitions. Two potential new components are 2,4-dinitro anisole (DNAN) and N-methyl paranitro aniline (MNA), which would eventually make their way to waste streams generated in the production and handling of new munitions. The effectiveness of anaerobic fluidized-bed bioreactors (AFBB) was studied for treatment and transformation of these two new chemical components in munitions. Each compound was fed into a separate reactor and monitored for removal and transformation, using ethanol as the electron donor. The results show that both were degradable using the AFBB system. DNAN was found to transform …