Toxicity of Insensitive Munition (IMX) Formulations and Components

Abstract

New insensitive munitions are being developed to minimize the acute hazards associated with non‐intentional detonation of warheads. Two components often used in munition formulations have limited toxicity data, i.e., 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one (NTO) and 2,4‐dinitroanisole (DNAN). Oral acute, subacute, and subchronic studies have recently been completed. The primary adverse effect from subchronic oral NTO exposure was hypospermia, which followed a dose‐dependent trend. Effects from DNAN exposure include reduced body weight, anemia, and neurotoxicity. Occupational exposure levels (OEL) have recently been developed for NTO and DNAN. However, other concerns regarding environmental issues have been raised. Herein we present the latest toxicity data and interpretations for NTO and DNAN as well as the third component of IMX‐101, nitroguanidine (NQ), and describe a process to assist with holistic environmental, safety, and occupational health assessment for sustained production and use.

Assessment of 2,4-Dinitroanisole Transformation Using Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis after In Situ Chemical Reduction of Iron Oxides

“…21,27,28,[35][36][37] The recent emergence of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) in insensitive munitions formulations has caused concern because of its potential to contaminate large areas of land and water. 38,39 We previously provided the first assessment of C and N isotope fractionation during abiotic DNAN reduction 40 but did not consider reductants beyond synthetic Fe-minerals. The Fe(II)-mediated reduction of DNAN generated isotope fractionation patterns that were indicative of certain reaction pathways yet independent of DNAN reaction rates and solution chemistry (e.g., organic matter).…”

Bismuth titanate modified and immobilized TiO2 photocatalysts for water purification: broad pollutant scope, ease of re-use and mechanistic studies

“…51 As such, two widely used explosives, trinitrotoluene (TNT) and nitrotriazolone (NTO), were chosen for study, with TNT being a known poison with hematological effects 52 and NTO exposure being suggested to cause reductions in sperm production in mammalian model studies. 53 The presence of pharmaceutical molecules in drinking water has been noted as an area of increasing concern in recent years. 54 The popu-lar analgesic drug paracetamol (PC) has been found at relatively high concentrations of 6 ppb in treated water samples, 55 and while its toxicity is not high, low continuous doses have been suggested to be a target for removal as a precautionary measure.…”

Mode of action evaluation for reduced reproduction in Daphnia pulex exposed to the insensitive munition, 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitroguanidine (MeNQ)

“…Among the chemicals suitable for use as constituents in IM formulations, 1-methyl-3nitroguanidine (MeNQ) (Aubert and Roos 2014;Reinke 2016) has had relatively little characterization of potential health and ecotoxicological hazard. While the ecotoxicity of dinitroanisole (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), and nitrotriazolone (NTO), the components of IMX-101, a principal TNT replacement, has been widely investigated (Lent et al 2015(Lent et al , 2016(Lent et al , 2018Lotufo et al 2018;Gust et al 2018Gust et al , 2021Johnson et al 2017;Kennedy et al 2015Kennedy et al , 2017Quinn et al 2014;Stanley et al 2015), only two studies describing MeNQ toxicity in mammalian exposures (Kinkead et al 1993;Reinke 2016) and our laboratory's three recent MeNQ ecotoxicological evaluations (Lotufo et al 2020(Lotufo et al , 2021Gust et al 2021) are the only studies presently available. In these ecotoxicology studies, the lethal effects of MeNQ in both acute and chronic aquatic exposures were only observed at high exposure concentrations (≥ 2186 mg/ L) for a broad range of target species including both aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia pulex, Chironomus dilutus, Lumbriculus variegatus, Hydra littoralis, Hyalella azteca) and vertebrates (Pimephales promelas, Rana pipiens).…”