BIOREMEDIATION OF 2,4,6-TRINITROTOLUENE-CONTAMINATED SOILS BY 2 DIFFERENT AERATED COMPOST SYSTEMS

Two composting systems were compared on a laboratory scale as a biorem ediation technology for degradation or immobilization of 2,4,6-trinitr otoluene (TNT) in contaminated soils. The first compost was aerated fr om the beginning whereas the second compost was only aerated after an anaerobic prephase of 65 days. In the first compost system the TNT con centration declined rapidly by 92% but, at the end, TNT could be parti ally recovered. During the anaerobic prephase of the second compost sy stem, TNT was almost completely converted to aminodinitrotoluenes, whi ch during the subsequent aeration almost entirely disappeared. In addi tion, the second compost generated less toxic material than the first one as confirmed by inhibition of bioluminescence of Vibrio fischeri. These data show that microbiological TNT-degradation systems can be su ccessfully designed which are prerequisite for an efficient bioremedia tion of contaminated soils.