[CPEO-MEF] Residue research

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

A new Army Corps report, "Characterization of Explosives Contamination
at Military Firing Ranges," presents research results which should help
improve the management and cleanup of military munitions ranges. The
authors sampled and analyzes for explosive compounds and by-products at
hand grenade ranges at Ft. Lewis, Washington and Ft. Richardson, Alaska,
as well as an artillery impact area and howitzer firing point at Ft. Lewis.

The researchers used a new method of analysis, gas chromatography using
a micro-electron capture detector. This method is capable of detecting
nitroaromatics, nitramines, and nitrate esters in soil at detection
limits ranging from 1 to 25 micrograms per kilogram, much lower than the
standard SW-8465 method 8330. They reported, "Method 8330 was adequate
for characterization of explosives contamination of army ammunition
plants and depots, where concentrations are much higher, but these
limits are inadequate to delineate contamination at training ranges."

Using the new method, they found, "Results of soil analysis from Fort
Lewis and Fort Richardson indicate that very low concentrations of
explosives residues are more widespread at testing and training ranges
than observed previously." The authors also found low concentrations of
RDX in the groundwater at Fort Lewis, marginally below levels of
regulatory concern. 

My view: This doesn't mean that those ranges all require toxic cleanup.
Rather, it suggests that range residue should be more routinely
monitored. It should help understand the fate and transport of
explosives in the environment.

The authors also concluded, based upon one crater from a low-order
detonation (when a shell blew apart without fully combusting the high
explosives), "Clearly the residue of explosives resulting from low-order
detonations are many orders of magnitude higher than those that result
from high-order detonations and efforts should be made to locate and
eliminate the resulting debris from low-order detonations."

Thomas F. Jenkins et al,  "Characterization of Explosives Contamination
at Military Firing Ranges," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer
Research and Development Center, ERDC TR-01-5, July, 2001.



-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
lsiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org

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