Influence of carbon and metal oxide nanomaterials on aqueous concentrations of the munition constituents cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and tungsten

There is an increasing likelihood of interactions between nanomaterials and munitions constituents in the environment resulting from the use of nanomaterials as additives to energetic formulations and potential contact in waste streams from production facilities and runoff from training ranges. The purpose of the present research was to determine the ability of nano‐aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to adsorb the munitions constituents cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and tungsten (W) from aqueous solution as a first step in determining the long‐term exposure, transport, and bioavailability implications of such interactions. The results indicate significant adsorption of RDX by MWCNTs and of W by nano‐Al2O3 (but not between W and MWCNT or RDX and nano‐Al2O3). Kinetic sorption and desorption investigations indicated that the most sorption occurs nearly instantaneously (