Biological treatment of TNT contaminated soils in anaerobic soil columns

Nitroaromatic molecules are mainly of anthropogenic origin and have a highly xenobiotic character. Especially polynitroaromatics seem to be very persistent and complete microbial degradation has seldom been reported. Our experiments showed that TNT is transformed into more reduced compounds by cometabolic processes. Under anoxic conditions the resulting metabolites could be effectively extracted from the soil with water. Further metabolization was achieved with autochthonous anaerobic spore-forming bacteria. New unidentified metabolites occurred and gave evidence for a further breakdown of TNT.