a b s t r a c tPhysical changes that occur on the surface of fired shots due to firing and impact with soil may increase the dissolution of muniton metals. Increased metal dissolution could potentially increase metal transport and leaching, affecting metal concentrations in surface and groundwater. This research describes the relationship between the surface changes on fired tungsten-nickel-iron (94% W:2% Ni:4% Fe) composite shots and metals leaching from those shots. Tungsten composite shot was fired into, and aged in, three soil types (Silty Sand, Sandy Clay, and Silt) in mesoscale rainfall lysimeters to simulate live-fire conditions and subsequent interactions between the metals of the composite and soil. Leachate, runoff, and soil samples were collected from the lysimeters and analyzed for metal content. The shots were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate surface changes. SEM results indicated that a soil's particle size distribution initially affected the amount of metal that was sheared from the surface of the fired W-composite shots. Shearing was greatest in soils with larger soil particles (sand and gravel); shearing was least in soils composed of small soil particles (fines). Increased metallic shearing from the shot's surface was associated with increased W dissolution, compared to controls, following a simulated 1 year soil aging.Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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This report explores the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dams. This report also identifies above-water and in-water structures where these lubricants would be useful.
Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) in western Arizona is a testing range where Depleted uranium (DU) penetrators have been historically fired. A portion of the fired DU penetrators are being managed under controlled conditions by leaving them in place. The widespread use of DU in armor-penetrating weapons has raised environmental and human health concerns. The present study is focused on the onsite management approach and on the potential interactions with plants local to YPG. A 30 day study was conducted to assess the toxicity of DU corrosion products (e.g., schoepite and meta-schoepite) in two grass species that are native to YPG, Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon) and Purple Threeawn (Aristida purpurea). In addition, the ability for plants to uptake DU was studied. The results of this study show a much lower threshold for biomass toxicity and higher plant concentrations, particularly in the roots than shoots, compared to previous studies.
Heavy metals are released into the environment as a result of critical military live-fire training. Preventing heavy-metal migration into and contamination of the local environment is crucial because remediating contaminated soils is resource intensive, difficult, and costly. Previous studies have demonstrated that phosphate amendments have been successfully used as a best management practice (BMP) to immobilize metal contaminants. The Passive Reactive Berm (PRBerm™) technology incorporates phosphate amendments with ballistic sand to immobilize soluble metals (e.g., lead) during the inevitable bullet corrosion process. Treatability studies determined that an amendment ratio of 5% (weight/ weight) to sand was sufficient to contain > 90% of soluble lead within the berm material. The technology was field tested on the M-60 small arms firing range (SAFR) at Charleston Air Force Base (CAFB) in Charleston, South Carolina. The CAFB PRBerm™ was tested with a 5% TRAPPS™ amendment (a granular, apatite-based material), alone and in combination with a 5% thermally treated fish bone Apatite™.For the CAFB PRBerm™, storm water runoff and leachate water samples were collected directly from the SAFR and analyzed for metals, total suspended solids (TSS), and pH. Reduced metals migration in soil leachate and surface water runoff when compared to the traditional earthen berm was observed. The total suspended solids in the leachate and runoff waters from the amended berms increased over the control berm. Results indicated that the pH of the runoff waters from the amended berms remained acidic.
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