Field trial demonstrating phytoremediation of the military explosive RDX by XplA/XplB-expressing switchgrass
- 3 May 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Biotechnology
- Vol. 39 (10), 1216-1219
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-00909-4
Abstract
The explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), a major component of munitions, is used extensively on military training ranges. As a result, widespread RDX pollution in groundwater and aquifers in the United States is now well documented. RDX is toxic, but its removal from training ranges is logistically challenging, lacking cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Previously, we have shown that thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) engineered to express two genes, xplA and xplB, encoding RDX-degrading enzymes from the soil bacterium Rhodococcus rhodochrous 11Y can break down this xenobiotic in laboratory studies. Here, we report the results of a 3-year field trial of XplA/XplB-expressing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) conducted on three locations in a military site. Our data suggest that XplA/XplB switchgrass has in situ efficacy, with potential utility for detoxifying RDX on live-fire training ranges, munitions dumps and minefields.Keywords
Funding Information
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program
- United States Department of Defense | Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (ER-1498, ER-1498, ER-1498, ER-1498)
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