2,4,6‐Trinitrotoluene (TNT) was found to react in aqueous solution with surfactants containing amino and quaternary ammonium groups at pH 10–11 at ambient temperature. The surfactants investigated included N‐tallow 1,3‐diaminopropane, trimethyl N‐tallow ammonium chloride and N,N,N′,N′,N′‐pentamethyl N‐tallow 1,3‐propane diammonium dichloride. The reaction products were insoluble in water and readily separated through filtration. The dried solids were not explosive and the solids burned without explosion. The results showed that TNT can be reduced to less than 0.1 ppm from the initial concentration of 110 ppm in 2–3 hours. The wastewater of Composition B contains TNT and 1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazacyclohexane (RDX). Treatment of the wastewater with the ammonium cationic surfactants showed that TNT was removed quantitatively by precipitation and RDX was simultaneously hydrolyzed. The mechanism of this treatment is discussed.
The discoloration produced by the exposure of plastics to a polluted atmosphere containing nitrogen oxides and other gases is well known. New formulations with increased resistance to such discoloration require reliable accelerated tests for characterization of additives and products. The new procedure is based on an exposure of plastics to an atmosphere with a controlled concentration of nitrogen dioxide and evaluation of subsequent discoloration by optical measurements.
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