• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of a gamma irradiation to decompose 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene(TNT) in an aqueous solution. The decomposition reaction of TNT by gamma irradiation was a pseudo first-order kinetic over the applied initial concentrations($25{\sim}100mg/L$). The dose constant was strongly dependent on the initial TNT concentration. The removal of TNT was more efficient at pH below 3 and at pH above 11 than at neutral pH(pH 5-9). The required irradiation dose to remove over 99% of TNT was 40, 80 and 10 kGy, individually at pH 2, 7 and 13. The dose constant was increased by 1.6 fold and over 15.6 fold at pH 2 and 13, respectively, when compared with that at pH 7 When irradiation dose of 200 kGy was applied, the removal efficiencies of TOC were 91, 46 and 53% at pH 2, 7 and 13, respectively. Ammonia and nitrate were detected as the main nitrogen byproducts of TNT and glyoxalic acid and oxalic acid were detected as organic byproducts. The results showed that a gamma irradiation was an attractive method for the decomposition of TNT in an aqueous solution. However, regarding the application of high energy radiation for the TNT decomposition and mineralization, an application of an acidic pH below 3 to the solution before irradiation should be considered.