ABSTRACT
The most serious problem occurred from the manufacture of TNT is the wastewater
emanating from the plants engaged in washing of the product.
The dissolved TNT causes the well-known “ pink water “ discharge, which is
esthetically as well as environmentally undesirable.
In this work, extensive investigations on treatment of this have been conducted using
cationic surfactant under various conditions.
It was found that TNT react in aqueous solution with surfactant containing tertiary
ammonium groups at pH 10-11 at ambient temperature.
The reaction products were insoluble complex. It could be easily separated by
filtration.
The dried precipitates were examined toward explosion and it burned without
explosion.
The results also showed that TNT with initial concentration of till 100ppm could be
quantitatively removed from waste pink water.
The used surfactant was 0. 5 moles per mole of TNT in the water and the reaction
time was about three hours.
According to preceding results the pink water after treatment by the recommended
method in this work is suitable for reused in manufacture.