Organic Explosives in Plants and Soil: Accumulation, Analysis and Risk assessment - A Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Explosives (e.g., TNT, RDX) are persistent environmental contaminants from military and industrial sources.
• High concentrations in soil and water pose risks to ecosystems and human health via chemical transformation and plant uptake.
• Current analytical methods for explosives are well-developed for soil and water but lack focus on plant matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review analytical methodologies for detecting explosives and their transformation products in environmental samples, with a focus on soil and plants.
• To evaluate the strengths and limitations of various extraction and instrumental techniques for analyzing explosive residues.
• To identify gaps in regulatory frameworks and propose future research directions for plant contamination.

Main Methods:

• Review of extraction techniques: ultrasound-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, accelerated solvent extraction.
• Evaluation of instrumental techniques: LC-MS/MS, GC-ECD, MALDI-TOF, and ambient ionization mass spectrometry.
• Assessment of challenges: matrix complexity, analyte instability, and field applicability.

Main Results:

• Significant advancements exist for soil and water analysis, but plant matrix analysis remains a challenge.
• Various extraction and instrumental techniques show promise but require optimization for plant samples.
• Existing regulatory frameworks lack specific limits for explosive residues in plants.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for improved analytical strategies to understand explosive behavior and metabolism in plants.
• Standardizing methods and enhancing risk assessment protocols are essential for managing plant contamination.
• Focusing on plant uptake pathways is crucial for comprehensive environmental monitoring and mitigation of explosive residue impacts.