Abstract  Otto Fuel II, a propellant in torpedoes, is composed of 76% 1,2 propanediol dinitrate (PGDN), 22.5% di-n-butyl sebacate, and 1.5% 2-nitrodiphenylamine (NDPA), and is largely recalcitrant to aerobic microbial degradation. Anaerobic microbial degradation of Otto Fuel II was tested by inoculating anaerobic enrichment media, containing either 2% (vol:vol) complete Otto Fuel II or 2% of a 0.02% solution of Otto Fuel II in methanol, with soil and water from sites contaminated with munitions or with landfill leachate. Anaerobic bacterial growth was completely inhibited by 2% Otto Fuel II. Two mixed bacterial enrichments developed in anaerobic media containing 2% (v/v) of a 0.02% solution of Otto Fuel II in methanol. After incubation, PGDN could not be detected in either enrichment, but was also not detectable in sterile controls, suggesting abiotic degradation of low concentrations of PGDN in reduced anaerobic medium. NDPA did not degrade in either enrichment. Similarly, complete Otto Fuel was recalcitrant to degradation by highly reducing methanogenic biomass collected from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket bioreactor (UASB). A comparison of the degradative ability of autoclaved and viable biomass showed that low concentrations of PGDN autodegraded, however unlike the autoclaved anaerobic biomass, the viable anaerobic biomass degraded the NDPA component of Otto Fuel II. Two strains of anaerobic clostridia, strains SP3 and SPF, that caused the disappearance of NDPA at its limit of solubility in culture media, were isolated from the UASB bioreactor biomass. SP3 and SPF were shown, by comparison of 16S rDNA sequences, to be most closely related to Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium cochlearium respectively. Although NDPA was lost from cultures of both strains, metabolic end products were not identified. Neither strain could degrade NDPA unless supplied with an alternative energy source. In the culture system used, NDPA stimulated the growth of SP3 but it had no appreciable effect on the growth of SPF. Both SP3 and SPF degraded low concentrations of trinitrotoluene (TNT), without the production of detectable concentrations of aromatic amines. A possible method for the remediation of small spills of Otto Fuel II is suggested.

Abstract  Electrochemical Oxidation can offer a viable alternative to incineration, landfill, and deep well injection for disposal of harmful chemicals. The U.S. Navy generates about one million pounds of Otto Fuel LI waste per year. About two thirds of the waste is liquid and one third of it is solid waste contaminated with the fuel. Otto Fuel II is a three component liquid monopropellant used for torpedo propulsion. The Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center has been tasked to conduct a feasibility study utilizing an indirect electrochemical oxidation process for the destruction of Otto Fuel II waste, and provide technical and engineering support for construction of a full scale disposal facility at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport, WA. Indirect electrochemical oxidation of organic materials is facilitated by using metals ions in a mineral acid electrolyte as a regenerative catalyst or mediator. Silver, cobalt, nickel, cerium, magnesium, and iron have been used as regenerative oxidants(1).

Catalyzed Electrochemical Oxidation (CEO), a low temperature and low pressure electrochemical oxidation process developed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL) is being examined for use in the destruction of Otto Fuel II Waste(2,3). The CEO process uses the regenerative oxidant cerium (Ce3+/Ce4+) for the treatment of organic waste. Laboratory and bench scale studies showed that Otto Fuel II is readily destroyed by the CEO process. Pilot scale CEO studies are planned to determine the operational requirements for a full scale CEO plant to treat Otto Fuel LI waste. A summary of this work will be presented in this paper. The primary focus of the paper centers around the establishment of requirements for a full scale CEO facility.

Abstract  The problem of quasi-steady state evaporation and condensation of aerosol droplets is re-examined to determine the effect of the molecular interaction model on the predicted mass transfer rates in the Knudsen regime. A new expression for the mass flux is obtained that contains explicitly the dependence of the rate process on the accommodation coefficient and on the molecular weight ratio of the vapor and gas molecules. The analysis, based on the solution of the Boltzmann equation by the method of Grad for Maxwellian molecules, is shown to yield results in the near-continuum regime (Kn<1) very close to a number of previous theoretical analyses based on hard sphere molecules and semi-theoretical correlations, including the Fuchs–Sutugin equation. These results indicate that the theoretical predictions are not sensitive to the molecular interaction model used, but depend strongly on the method of solution in the near-free-molecule regime where the method of Grad fails. As the continuum regime is approached, the solution becomes independent of the accommodation coefficient. Theoretical predictions agree with previously published evaporation data for isothermal evaporation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in air and dibutyl sebacate (DBS) in nitrogen using an accommodation coefficient of 1.0 for DBP and 0.9 for DBS.

Abstract  Increasing amounts of chemicals from industrial and domestic use are to be found in waste waters, but many of them will not be degraded in conventional effluent processing plants and thus will contaminate aquatic systems. By determining toxicity for active sludge, chemical compounds can be classified according to such damaging effects. Chemicals of widespread use should by declared by the manufacturers regarding to properties important for the environment.

Abstract  We have recently made advancements in a linear electrodynamic quadrupole (LEQ) device for capturing and levitating either single or multiple micro-particles that provides significant improvements in capture efficiency, reliability, and optical measurement access. We have used our LEQ to trap particles ranging from 30 to less than 0.5 μm in size and provide a controlled environment to study particle physical/chemical dependencies on temperature, relative humidity, and gas constituents. To demonstrate this approach, we present data and analysis of liquid-droplet evaporation rates for two materials: glycerol and dibutyl sebacate. Droplet size was monitored as a function of time by two independent optical methods: direct imaging and fixed-angle light scattering. This new approach provides a means to rapidly characterize a wide range of aerosol particle properties and a platform for development of new aerosol optical-diagnostic measurements.

Abstract  The toxicology of Otto-Fuels-II (106602806), a mixture of propylene-glycol-dinitrate (6423434), 2-nitrodiphenylamine (119755), and dibutyl-sebacate (109433), was reviewed with regard to its adverse health effects, toxicokinetics, human exposures, chemical and physical data, and other characteristics. The health effects of Otto-Fuels-II exposure were discussed by route of exposure: inhalation, oral, and dermal. Specifically addressed were systemic, immunological, neurological, reproductive, developmental, genotoxic, and carcinogenic effects. The absorption and distribution of Otto-Fuels-II following inhalation, oral, and dermal exposure were reviewed as were its metabolism, excretion, and mechanisms of action. The relevance of Otto-Fuels-II exposure to public health, biomarkers of exposure and effects, interactions between Otto-Fuels-II and other chemicals, populations particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of Otto-Fuels-II, and methods to reduce toxic effects were described and discussed. Also presented and discussed were chemical and physical data on Otto-Fuels-II, its production, import, use, and disposal, the potential for human exposure as a result of environmental releases, its environmental persistence and estimated levels in air, water, soil, and other media, occupational exposures, populations with potentially high exposures, and methods for analysis in biological and environmental samples.

Abstract  waste water treatment by ozone was studied using a gas intake apparatus in which the waste water is recirculated in the reaction bath and ozone is dissolved into the waste water during the recirculation period. Waste water containing 100 ppm cyanide ion was treated with 3.1 liters of ozone gas. with water circulation rates of 65 liters/min and 55 liters/min, a higher cyanide efficiency was obtained by the second rate. The cyanide concentration after 20 min of treatment was 40 percent of the initial cyanide concentration with the water circulation rate at 65 liters/min, while it was 20 percent with the circulation rate at 55 liters/min. with the faster circulation rate, more than 90 percent of the cyanide could be removed within 30 min. When the water containing 17.4 ppm dibutyl sebacate was treated with ozone, nearly 80 percent of the initial dibutyl sebacate was removed after 20 min of treatment with water circulation rates of 40 liters/min and 50 liters/min. Ozone absorption into water and the decomposition of dissolved ozone were studied using drinking water. A first-order reaction was found in the decomposition of dissolved ozone, and the decomposition reaction rate increased with increased water temperature. The adsorption of ozone by water was quite high, which is desirable because then only a small amount of non-absorbed ozone will be discharged. (Katayama-firl)