Method for safely disposing of propellant and explosive materials and for preparing fertilizer compositions

A method for remediating soil contaminated with nitrogen-containing propellants or explosives containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose;

• nitroglycerin;
• nitroguanidine;
• barium nitrate;
• strontium nitrate;
• nitrate esters;
• nitfamines;
• ammonium pictate;
• 1,3-diamino- 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene;
• 1,1',4,4',6,6'-hexanitroazobenzene;
• hexanitrostilbene;
• 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene;
• 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene;
• ammonium nitrate;
• and mixtures thereof, comprising adding to said soil an effective amount of an aqueous solution of humic acid at a pH of about 10 to 14 to hydrolyze or denitrify the at least one nitrogen compound in the propellants or explosives.

A method for making a fertilizer composition comprising adding to at least one nitrogen-containing propellant or explosive containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose;

• nitroglycerin;
• nitroguanidine;
• barium nitrate;
• strontium nitrate;
• nitrate esters;
• nitramines;
• ammonium picrate;
• 1,3-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene;
• 1,1',4,4',6,6'-hexanitroazobenzene;
• hexanitrostilbene;
• 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene;
• 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene;
• ammonium nitrate;
• and mixtures thereof, an effective amount of an aqueous solution of humic acid at a pH of from about 10 to about 14 and adjusting the pH to from about 5 to about 10.

A fertilizer composition made by a process comprising adding to at least one nitrogen-containing propellant or explosive containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose;

• nitroglycerin;
• nitroguanidine;
• barium nitrate;
• strontium nitrate;
• nitrate esters;
• nitramines;
• ammonium picrate;
• 1,3-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene;
• 1,1',4,4',6,6'-hexanitroazobenzene;
• hexanitrostilbene;
• 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene;
• 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene;
• ammonium nitrate;
• and mixtures thereof, an effective amount of an aqueous solution of humic acid at a pH of from about 10 to about 14 and adjusting the pH to from about 5 to about 10.

A method for denitrifying or hydrolyzing nitrogen-containing propellants or explosives containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitrocellulose;

• nitroglycerin;
• nitroguanidine;
• barium nitrate;
• strontium nitrate;
• nitrate esters;
• nitramines;
• ammonium picrate;
• 1,3-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene;
• 1,1',4,4',6,6'-hexanitroazobenzene;
• hexanitrostilbene;
• 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene;
• 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene;
• ammonium nitrate;
• and mixtures thereof, said nitrogen-containing propellants or explosives being present in an aqueous system, comprising adding to said aqueous system an effective amount of an aqueous solution of humic acid at a pH of about 10 to 14 to hydrolyze or dentrify the at least one nitrogen compound in the propellants or explosives.