Analytical Methods for Determining Nitroguanidine in Soil and Water

Abstract : For many years the making of munitions for the Army resulted in contamination of the environment surrounding production sites. In the 1970s, the Army sought to correct this situation by identifying and cleaning up affected areas. As part of this effort, the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA), under the Installation Restoration Program, has been actively developing analytical methods for detecting unique military compounds, such as explosives and propellants, in environmental samples. Under the auspices of USATHAMA, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory has been charged with developing methods for nitramines, nitroaromatics, tetrazene, and, most recently, nitroguanidine in water and soil. Nitroguanidine is a component, along with nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose, of triple base propellant. Its relatively high solubility in water increases the likelihood of groundwater contamination when water used to clean cutting blades and wash-out buildings is disposed. Methods were developed for determining nitroguanidine in soil and water. The soil method involves extracting a 2-g sample with water using an ultrasonic bath. Soil extracts and water samples are filtered through a 45- micrometers membrane prior to determination by RP-HPLC. Keywords: Analytical method, Explosives, Groundwater pollution, Munitions, Nitroguanidine, Pollution.