Biodegradation of propellant ingredients

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:210556

Zhang, Y Z; Sundaram, S T; Sharma, A ^[1]

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1. Geo-centers, Inc., Lake Hopatcong, NJ (United States); and others

This paper summarizes efforts to degrade nitrocellulose (NC) and nitroglycerin (NG) with fungi. Screening experiments were performed to determine the ability of mycelial fungi to biodegrade NC. The greatest amount of NC degradation was obtained with Sclerotium rolfsii ATCC 24459 and Fusarium solani IFO 31093. These fungi were then tested for NG degradation. It was found that the combined culture aerobically degraded 100% of the NG to form a mixture of 55% dinitroglycerin (DNG) and 5% of mononitroglycerin (MNG) in two days, with no further change observed afterward. In the presence of 1.2% glucose and 0.05% ammonium nitrate, NG was completely degraded in two days and a mixture of 20% DNG and 16% MNG was formed after 11 days. Based on these results, it appears that the combination of the fungi in a one to one ratio can be used to degrade both of these energetic compounds.

• OSTI ID: 210556
• Report Number(s): CONF-9509139--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
AEROBIC DIGESTION
EFFICIENCY
FUNGI
NITROCELLULOSE
NITROGLYCERIN
PROPELLANTS