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Title: Analysis of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and its transformation products in soils and plant tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography

Journal Article · · Journal of Chromatography (International Journal on Chromatography, Electrophoresis and Related Methods); (Netherlands)
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

Previous studies have failed to provide an acceptable mass balance for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in soils and plants due to deficiencies in analytical methodology. A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for soil analysis is reported which allowed for a mass balance in excess of 88% during a 2-month study. A method for plant analysis was developed which involved fractionation of organic extracts on Florisil adsorbent, to remove interfering pigments, followed by HPLC analysis of TNT and the primary metabolites, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. Chromatographic recovery of TNT from spiked tissues was 85{plus minus}6%. The methodology was utilized to investigate TNT uptake and metabolism in plants grown in TNT hydroponic solutions.

DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
7198183
Journal Information:
Journal of Chromatography (International Journal on Chromatography, Electrophoresis and Related Methods); (Netherlands), Vol. 518; ISSN 0021-9673
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English