These pollutants now threaten to contaminate public water supplies or even trigger small explosions at abandoned and operational sites. Phytoremediation could become a useful substitute for incineration, which is the conventional and rather costly method of disposing of TNT wastes. The solution to this problem may be helping nature restore itself. This approach, called phytoremediation, could become a useful substitute for incineration, the conventional method of disposing of TNT wastes.
Incineration requires costly removal procedures.
In laboratory studies, researchers are growing different species of aquatic plants and assessing their ability to break down and assimilate these polluting compounds. We think that phytoremediation could provide an effective and economical alternative that is preferable at some sites. In independent studies, scientists already have found that some aquatic plants are able to assimilate TNT and convert it into less hazardous chemical compounds. Louisiana State University faculty researchers are describing how TNT moves from contaminated soils to water and are using this knowledge to build models of the process. Dr. K.T. Valsaraj, an associate professor, is leading a team that drew samples of TNT from soils and is studying the fundamental physical and chemical processes involved when the compound dissolves.