Abiotic Reduction Analysis!! William Arnold/U of Minnesota and SERDP/ESTCP are quantifying nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation in munitions compounds during abiotic reaction with iron-bearing minerals. While it is well established that abiotic processes lead to the degradation of various nitro compounds, including energetic and insensitive munitions, verifying that such processes occur under field conditions remains a challenge.
Confirmation of abiotic attenuation requires a method that does not rely on changes in contaminant concentration or detection of reaction products. A method that allows proof of abiotic degradation reactions is compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA). CSIA relies on measuring the changes in the carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen isotope ratios of the target contaminants along the groundwater (or soil/sediment) gradient. The changes in the isotope ratio are indicative of the transformation process(es) occurring.
The overall objective of this project is to quantify the nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen isotope fractionation factors of nitro munitions compounds during their abiotic reactions with iron-bearing minerals. The project will also test the effectiveness of reaction rate enhancements and their effect on the isotope fractionation. If monitored natural attenuation is to be part of a remediation strategy at DoD sites with groundwater contaminated by munitions, stakeholders will demand verification that degradation, and not just sorption or dilution, of contaminants is occurring along groundwater flow paths. Successful completion of this project will provide the DoD, regulatory agency personnel responsible for monitoring remedial efforts, engineering consultants, and the greater scientific community a methodology that demonstrates when abiotic degradation of munitions compounds is occurring in groundwater systems.
This analytical method will lead to robust inclusion of engineered or fortuitous abiotic attenuation in conceptual site models. In addition, the work will allow the effectiveness of enhancements to induce, accelerate, or maintain abiotic attenuation to be evaluated. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2019)
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