Evaluation of Treatment Methods for Nitro-Aromatic Compounds from TNT Contaminated Soil in Pebbles Packed Reed-Beds Mesocosm

The production of nitroaromatic compounds has not only agravated from some decades but their accidental or intentional release into the nearby environment, causes serious health problems. Lab-scale horizontal-subsurface-down-flow-constructed-wetland (HSDF-CW) was developed and planted with reeds to treat 2,4,6-Tri-nitro-toluene (TNT) contaminated soil collected from the site of industrial complex and was subjected to bioremediation, where domestic wastewater and TNT degrading bacterial strains were added as co-substrates for effective removal of nitro-aromatic compounds. Results showed that 80.1%, 60.08%, 85.7% &67.9% removal of COD, Total-Nitrogen, nitrate and sulphate respectively was attained through bioremediation, bio-stimulation (91%, 85.9%, 94% &80.01%) and bio-augmentation (90.5%, 90.9%, 95% & 91%)respectively after thirty days of incubation.FTIR results indicated the biotransformation of nitro-aromatic compounds into different intermediates.Moreover, phytotoxicity results suggested that treated-water had no toxic effect on seed germinations and could be used for irrigation. Thus,assisted bioremediation through CW proved to be an excellent alternate for in-situ treatment of nitro-aromatic-compounds. Graphical Abstract