The treatability of a munitions-manufacturing waste with activated carbon

Abstract

Activated carbon is rapidly becoming important as a treatment agent for both industrial and domestic wastes. The treatability of a munitions-manufacturing waste with activated carbon was investigated. The treatability of the waste was assessed in the laboratory by several methods used routinely for evaluating activated carbon efficiency. Both short and long term batch tests as well as bench-scale packed-bed granular activated carbon column experiments were performed. Test parameters included the removal of nitroaromatic compounds and color.

Results show that treatment of the TNT manufacturing waste from Radford Army Ammunition Plant, Radford, Virginia, with activated carbon is technically feasible. Essentially complete removal of color and nitroaromatic substances can be affected with packed-bed carbon column treatment. The optimum use of the carbon is made with the waste in an acid pH range and with TNT and color concentrations as high as possible. Carbon capacities for a given waste sample were found to be .246 grams of TNT and 1.05 grams of standard color per gram of granular carbon for packed-bed operation. The Silas-Mason test, used for measurement of TNT concentration, measures all nitroaromatic substances in the waste; breakthrough of nitroaromatics other than TNT occurs first in column operation.