The manufacturing of munitions generates wastewater containing a range of legacy munitions constituents. Facilities responsible for treating this wastewater have traditionally relied on biological treatment and sorption-based technologies. Insensitive munitions compounds (IMC), which are thermally stable and less sensitive to accidental detonation, are more resistant to existing treatment technologies for traditional munitions wastewater. As a result, ESTCP has conducted several projects with successful outcomes to address the challenges associated with treatment of IMC in wastewater. This project aims to integrate the outcomes of three independently conducted remediation projects (ER19-1228, ER19-1198, and ER18-5049) focused on the treatment of munitions manufacturing wastewater. These projects — utilizing reactive electrochemical membrane (REM) reactors, membrane bioreactors (MBR), and an integrated nanoscale zero-valent iron–hydrogen peroxide (nZVI-H₂O₂) process — have demonstrated promising outcomes. However, the variation in methodologies, performance metrics, and experimental conditions across these studies presents challenges for direct comparison. Therefore, a comprehensive framework is required to synthesize and evaluate their potential across key performance parameters. The project team aims to develop a standardized evaluation framework that harmonizes performance metrics, enabling an objective, aligned comparison, while incorporating data mining approaches to analyze and compare the performance of various technologies.

This project will systematically synthesize the results from three distinct remediation projects focused on munitions manufacturing wastewater treatment, with the goal of developing a standardized evaluation framework for the investigated technologies. The first technology, REM reactors, utilizes porous Ti₄O₇ membranes to degrade organic and inorganic chemicals through electrochemical reactions. The second technology, MBR systems, integrates biological and chemical processes to address diverse chemical profiles in munition wastewater. The third technology combines nZVI and H₂O₂ in an integrated process to generate hydroxyl radicals, achieving rapid destruction of munitions compounds. This project will incorporate data mining and data synthesizing approaches, utilizing results from previously conducted studies to evaluate performance metrics such as chemical removal efficiency, system stability, and scalability. The synthesis will focus on harmonizing performance metrics across the three technologies, allowing for a comprehensive comparison of their technical and economic feasibility. Key tasks include reviewing experimental results, identifying different variables and variations in methodologies and operational conditions, and developing a unified framework for assessing these technologies. The outcome of this project will provide a clear, objective evaluation of their applicability in different operational contexts, facilitating informed decision-making and enhancing their potential for broader implementation in munitions wastewater treatment.

The outcome of this project will provide actionable insights into the technical and economic feasibility of the treatment technologies investigated for the new generation munitions wastewater, facilitating their broader applicability and informed selection across different operational contexts. Further, this project will enable more informed decisions regarding the selection and deployment of advanced treatment systems and improving their technology readiness level. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2027)