ABSTRACT
In the early 20th century, more than 60 highly explosive compounds were developed. Testing and use of high explosives has extensively contaminated soil, sediments, and water with toxic explosive residues at a large number of government installations. The end of the Cold War resulted in a significant surplus of both conventional and nuclear weapons. The United States and the former Soviet Union, together with their allies and the People’s Republic of China are destroying large quantities of weapons. As a result, a great many high explosives are being released directly and indirectly to the environment. These are highly toxic and mutagenic and classified as environmental hazards and priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) [1-3].
