Ultraviolet/oxidation treatment of explosive wastewaters using a commercial process

The Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center evaluated the performance of two pilot‐scale ultraviolet/oxidation systems for treatment of nitroglycerin production wastewater, Solarchem Environmental Systems and Peroxidation Systems, Inc. A commercial‐scale system was purchased from Solarchem and its performance compared to that of the pilot‐scale system using standard reaction kinetics procedures. The first‐order reaction rate expression for nitroglycerin decomposition was developed for the commercial‐scale Solarchem system. Studies were conducted using the commercial‐scale UV/oxidation system to determine the treatment by‐products from nitroglycerin decomposition. Nitroglycerin and partially nitrated derivatives of nitroglycerin, inorganic nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia, and total organic carbon analyses were conducted to determine the extent of nitroglycerin decomposition and probable by‐products. Studies were also conducted on nitroguanidine wastewater to determine the effectiveness of UV/oxidation wastewater treatment for the nitroguanidine production process.