Transformaton of 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene by the aquatic plant Myriophyllum spicatum

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Abstract
The ability of the aquatic plant Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) to transform 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) was investigated in a series of batch assays. The TNT was added to plant cultures in single and multiple consecutive additions, at various initial concentrations, to determine its transformation kinetics, identify products formed, evaluate phytotoxic effects, and to determine the effect of light deprivation on the TNT transformation process. Rapid disappearance of TNT from the plant culture media was observed. The TNT disappearance rate was a function of both plant and TNT concentration (i.e., followed mixed, second‐order kinetics). The TNT transformation occurred only in the presence of plants and was inhibited by the addition of sodium azide. Phytotoxicity leading to plant chlorosis was observed in batch plant cultures with an initial TNT concentration above 5.9 μM. Reductive transformation of TNT to aminodinitrotoluenes and lower levels of hydroxylaminodinitrotoluene and diaminonitrotoluenes detected in the plant culture media accounted for less than 10 to 20% of the total TNT mass added. Extraction of plant material at the end of batch incubations when all TNT was depleted from the media yielded low levels of TNT and aminodinitrotoluenes and accounted for only 3.4% of the initially added TNT mass. Light deprivation decreased both the rate and extent of the reductive transformation of TNT.