Engineer Research and Development Center Identity and Distribution of Residues of Energetic Compounds at Military ERDC TR-05-10 Live-Fire Training Ranges
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US Army Corps of Engineers® Engineer Research and Development Center Identity and Distribution of Residues of Energetic Compounds at Military ERDC TR-05-10 Live-Fire Training Ranges Thomas F. Jenkins, Sonia Thiboutot, Guy Ampleman, November 2005 Alan D. Hewitt, Marianne E. Walsh, Thomas A. Ranney, Charles A. Ramsey, Clarence L. Grant, Charles M. Collins, Sylvie Brochu, Susan R. Bigl, and Judith C. Pennington Fort Wainwright, AK Hand Grenade Range CFB Valcartier, Quebec Fort Greely, AK Training Ranges (Donnelly Training Area) Test Ranges Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta Air-Surface Range CFB-Shilo, Manitoba CFB Gagetown, CFB-Wainwright, New Brunswick Fort Richardson, AK Alberta Battlerun Training Ranges Petawawa, Ontario Training Ranges Training Ranges Training Ranges Fort Lewis, WA Training Ranges Yakima Training Center, WA Training Ranges Camp Bonneville, WA Hand Grenade Range Massachusetts Military Reservation, MA Fort Ord, CA Anti-Tank Range Jefferson Proving Ground, IN Camp Guernsey, WY Artillery Range Artillery Range Fort Carson, CO 29 Palms, CA Artillery Range Camp Shelby, MS Training Ranges Marine Corps Fort Bliss, NM Training Ranges Training Ranges Eglin Air Force Base, FL Air-Surface Range Holloman AFB, NM Bombing Range Fort Leonard Wood, MO Hand Grenade Range Schofield Barracks, HI Fort Hood, TX Training Ranges Training Ranges Fort Polk, LA Training Ranges Pohakuloa Military Engineer Research and Development Center Reservation, HI Training Ranges Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. ERDC TR-05-10 November 2005 Identity and Distribution of Residues of Energetic Compounds at Military Live-Fire Training Ranges Thomas F. Jenkins, Sonia Thiboutot, Guy Ampleman, Alan D. Hewitt, Marianne E. Walsh, Thomas A. Ranney, Charles A. Ramsey, Clarence L. Grant, Charles M. Collins, Sylvie Brochu, Susan R. Bigl, and Judith C. Pennington Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Prepared for OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS and STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ABSTRACT Environmental stewardship of military training ranges is an important objective of the Department of Defense. Therefore, an understanding of the explosives residues resulting from military training with various weapon systems is critical to range managers. A series of field sampling experiments was con- ducted at 27 military firing ranges in the United States and Canada to provide information on the identity and distribution of energetic munitions constituents. Different types of ranges were studied, including hand grenade, antitank rocket, artillery, bombing, and demolition ranges. Both firing points and impact areas were studied. Energetic compounds (explosives and propellants) were determined and linked to the type of munition used and the major mechanisms of deposition. At impact areas, the largest deposition of residues of energetic compounds is due to low-order detonations, or, in some cases, munitions that split open upon impact. The major residue deposited and its distribution varies for different types of ranges based upon the composition of the high explosive present in the warheads of the rounds fired at that type of range. For antitank range impact areas, the major residue present is HMX from the octol explosive used in the M72 66-mm LAW rockets. At artillery range impact areas, the major residues are TNT and/or RDX from the military-grade TNT and Composition B used in warheads of artillery and mortar rounds. Residues are very heterogeneously distributed at artillery range impact areas and can be described as randomly distributed point sources. RDX and TNT are the major residues at hand grenade ranges and their distribution is less heterogeneous due to the large number of individual detonations in a smaller area that further disperses the residues over the surface and at shallow depths. TNT is the major energetic compound detected at bombing ranges due to its presence in tritonal, the most common explosive used in bombs. RDX is the most common energetic compound at demolition ranges due to its presence as the major component of C4 demolition explosive. NG and 2,4-DNT are also frequently detected at demoli- tion ranges as a result of the disposal of excess propellant. Once dissolved, RDX and HMX are the most mobile of the organic energetic compounds deposited on ranges, both vertically in the soil profile and horizontally across the surface. Results of these studies demonstrate that the potential for range contamination is specific to range activities. Large areas of training ranges are uncontaminated, while residues in smaller areas, e.g., those around targets, firing points, and low-order detonations, are potentially significant. Range managers can, therefore, limit management practices for residue control to specific areas and specific types of firing activities. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN TO THE ORIGINATOR. Identity and Distribution of Residues iii CONTENTS Preface .................................................................................................................vi 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 2 Methods........................................................................................................... 3 Soil sampling................................................................................................... 3 Sample processing and subsampling............................................................... 3 Sample analysis ............................................................................................... 4 3 Results and Discussion.................................................................................... 7 Hand grenade ranges ....................................................................................... 7 Antitank rocket range impact areas ............................................................... 12 Antitank range firing points .......................................................................... 19 Artillery ranges.............................................................................................. 19 Artillery range firing points........................................................................... 26 Samples from areas at artillery ranges away from impact areas and firing points...................................................................................... 27 Artillery range target areas............................................................................ 32 Artillery ranges near low-order (partial) detonations.................................... 33 Bombing ranges............................................................................................. 36 Demolition ranges ......................................................................................... 42 Residue mobility ........................................................................................... 44 Detonation craters and UXO presence .......................................................... 45 4 Summary and Conclusions............................................................................ 51 References............................................................................................................ 54 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. U.S. and Canadian Army installations where field experiments were conducted ......................................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Partially detonated grenade carcass and pieces from a low-order grenade found at Fort Lewis hand grenade range................................... 11 Figure 3. Diagram of 66-mm M72 LAW rocket ........................................... 13 iv ERDC TR-05-10 Figure 4. HMX concentrations at the target area of CFB-Valcartier antitank rocket range............................................................................... 15 Figure 5. Concentrations of energetic compounds with depth at Fort Ord antitank rocket range impact area ........................................................... 16 Figure 6. Concentrations of NG in multi-increment soil samples in front of and behind the rocket firing line at CFB-Valcartier antitank rocket range ....................................................................................................... 18 Figure 7. Schematic diagram of an artillery range showing firing points, range safety fan, and impact areas .......................................................... 21 Figure 8. Low-order 155-mm artillery round found at Fort Bliss ................. 35 Figure 9. Mass of Composition B and soil RDX concentrations and their relative position in the 10-m × 10-m sampling grid near a low-order 81-mm mortar round at Fort Polk’s artillery range impact area ............. 36 Figure 10. Reddish-colored crater formed from a low-order 500-lb bomb at CFB-Gagetown ................................................................................... 37 Figure 11. Low-order bomb found on the impact range