Incorporation and mineralization of TNT and other anthropogenic organics by natural microbial assemblages from a small, tropical estuary

► Surface water TNT incorporation rates were often 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than mineralization rates. ► TNT incorporation rates were often an order of magnitude more rapid than those for RDX and two orders more than HMX. ► TNT incorporation was often most rapid at the riverine end member and decreased with increasing salinity. ► Production of new biomass appears to be a more significant product of microbial TNT metabolism than mineralization.