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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Research and Development of High-performance Explosives
Published on: February 20, 2016
Microorganisms and explosives: mechanisms of nitrogen release from TNT for use as an N-source for growth
Rolf-Michael Wittich1, Juan Luis Ramos, Pieter van Dillewijn
1Departamento de Protección Ambiental, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Calle Profesor Albareda 1, E-18008 Granada, Spain. rolf.wittich@eez.csic.es
Abstract:
Unstable reduced derivatives of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) produced by microorganisms have been found to release nitrite by rearomatization and/or condensation. Here, we present further information regarding the novel mechanism of the condensation of reactive hydroxylaminodinitrotoluene and the Meisenheimer dihydride complex of TNT to produce two secondary diarylamine isomers. Using uniformly 15N-labeled (15N3) TNT, we show that the nitrite is being released by the condensation reaction and, also under environmental conditions, will originate from the microbiologically generated dihydride complex.
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