Adsorption of RDX and its Nitroso Metabolites onto Activated Carbon

Abstract

Groundwater contaminated with the high explosive Demolition eXplosive, or hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) may also contain the nitroso-RDX metabolites hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX), hexahydro-1,3-dinitroso-5-nitro-1,3,5-triazine (DNX), and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX). Although adsorption to activated carbon effectively removes RDX from contaminated water, the treatability of the nitroso-RDX compounds by adsorption has not been previously reported. Single-component isotherms were completed and the Freundlich parameters (