Thompson, CR; Kats, G; Lennox, RW
HEEP COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. Six compounds emitted in the manufacture of the explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) were tested for phytotoxicity on 7 spp. of plants. These compounds were mixed nitrotoluenes (NT), tetranitromethane (TNM), nitromethane (NM), methyl nitrate (MN), acetic acid (HOAc) and SO2. The plant species tested were wheat, alfalfa, soybean, tobacco, corn, white oak and scotch pine. The maximum dosages used were 50 mg m-3 for NT; 20 mg m-3 for TNM; 25 mg m-3 for NM; 20 mg m-3 for MN; 50 mg m-3 for HOAc; and 10.6 mg m-3 for SO2. White oak and scotch pine showed minimal injury, but wheat, alfalfa, tobacco, soybean and corn were injured sufficiently with TNM, HOAc or SO2 to warrant further studies. Minimal or no injury was observed on any of the plant species with NM, NT or MN. TNM was much more toxic than SO2. SO2 was somewhat more toxic than HOAc. The combined effects of SO2 + TNM and SO2 + HOAc were determined on wheat and alfalfa to find out whether interactions occur.