The growing application of a chemical compound as a substitute for TNT in explosive materials has been found to have harmful and enduring consequences on vegetation, according to new findings.
The growing application of a chemical compound as a substitute for TNT in explosive materials has been found to have harmful and enduring consequences on vegetation, according to new findings.
Recently, DNAN has emerged as an alternative to TNT, but there has been limited understanding regarding its environmental effects and longevity in soil.
For more than ten years, researchers at the University of York have been investigating the environmental repercussions of TNT, revealing that this explosive, used globally by military forces, remains in plant roots, hindering their growth and development.
A new study led by Professor Neil Bruce from the University of York’s Department of Biology and the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) indicates that DNAN yields effects similar to those of TNT, yet it accumulates more extensively within the plant and persists for an extended period.
Professor Neil Bruce remarked: “Similar to TNT, DNAN interacts with a crucial enzyme in plants, producing reactive superoxide, which can significantly harm cells. Throughout our research, we have genetically engineered plants that can effectively detoxify soil contaminated with munitions.
“Unfortunately, the situation with DNAN is quite different from that with TNT; it builds up in the aerial portions of the plant. While plants can naturally detoxify TNT, our studies indicate that they seemingly lack a mechanism to combat the toxic impact of DNAN, allowing it to stay in plants and remain harmful at lower concentrations.”
Researchers express concerns that because DNAN is distributed throughout the plant rather than being confined to the roots like TNT, animals are at a higher risk of consuming contaminated plants, thus introducing the toxin into the food chain.
Earlier investigations by the York team cultivated genetically modified grass on areas contaminated with military explosives, which successfully eliminated contaminants to undetectable levels in their plant tissues. However, there is currently no established method to remove or diminish DNAN.
It is estimated that the U.S. has over 10 million hectares of military land tainted with explosive-related substances, and remediating unexploded ordnance on military training ranges alone is anticipated to cost between $16 billion and $165 billion.
Dr. Liz Rylott, a co-author of the study from the University of York’s Department of Biology, stated: “Recent conflicts have led to an increase in the use of military explosives, suggesting potential extensive pollution issues and a pressing need for sustainable, plant-based cleanup strategies.
“Furthermore, we are unaware of the toxicity thresholds of DNAN in humans, so we aim for our research to underscore the necessity of deeper investigation into its consequences.”
This research, featured in the journal Nature Plants, received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and involved collaboration with researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.