Abstract:

Water extracts of soil samples of the former ammunition plant "Tanne" near Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Lower Saxony, Germany, were investigated for highly polar oxidized 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) metabolites. 0.4 to 9.0 mg/kg dry soil 2,4,6- trinitrobenzoic acid (TNBA) and 5.8 to 544 mg/kg dry soil 2- amino-4,6-dinitrobenzoic acid (2-ADNBA) were found. In addition to the oxidized metabolites, TNT, 4- and 2-aminodinitrotoluene (4- and 2-ADNT), and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) were extractable with water. Most interestingly, in one sample, 2- ADNBA represented the main contaminant. The origin of the oxidized nitroaromatics is unknown at this rime. They might be generated chemically or photochemically. Furthermore, a biological synthesis seems possible.