Transport of nitrotriazolone (NTO) in soil lysimeters

Abstract

NTO is a high aquatic solubility constituent of new insensitive munitions (IM) formulations. This study addresses transport of NTO in the vadose zone in pure and IM formulations in a variety of soils representative of testing installations across the USA. NTO is highly mobile in all the soils tested and advective water transport linked to the rainfall pattern appears to be the controlling mechanism on NTO mobility. The NTO dissolution rate is hindered when NTO is part of IM formulations containing low aqueous solubility components. The presence of low solubility products appears to force NTO to diffuse through the organic matrix before reaching the aqueous phase. Despite its ionic character in solution, substantial amounts of NTO are taken up by ryegrass. This likely is the result of the high concentration of NTO in the aqueous phase and the high water uptake of ryegrass.