Case study of testing heavy‐particle concentrator‐aided remediation of lead‐contaminated rifle shooting range soil

Abstract

Trials were conducted to optimize the parameters of a heavy‐particle concentrator (HPC) for the remediation of soil stockpiles contaminated by metallic lead at the Mount Stuart training area in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. A range of treatment methods, including orbital screen, HPC, and a combination of orbital screen and HPC were evaluated. The treatment efficiency, as well as reductions in Pb and Australian Standard Teaching Procedure values, was ranked: Orbital screen + HPC < HPC < 2nd run through HPC. The combination of orbital screening, HPC, and phosphate‐aided immobilization completely remediated the stockpiled material by reducing total lead to below the Australian National Environmental Protection Measure Health Investigation Level for Soil Contaminant (Recreational; < 600 milligrams lead per kilogram). The optimized parameters of HPC at 4 tonnes per hour of the < 40 millimeter (mm) orbital screen feed fraction were: inclination angle 4°, trommel speed 1,860 revolutions per minute (rpm), HPC belt speed 3.5 rpm, material distribution chute extension 100 mm and water flow 480 liters per minute.

Effectiveness of gravity based particle separation and soil washing for reduction of Pb in a clay loam shooting range soil

“…A previous investigation optimised the parameters of the HPC for treatment of stockpiled contaminated soils from a shooting range at the Mount Sturt training area (MSTA) in Townsville, Queensland, Australia (Thangavadivel et al, 2018). The feed conveyor, trommel and HPC belt speed were set at 1500, 1980 and 4 rpm respectively and the HPC inclination angle was 4 • , material distribution chute extension 100 mm, and water flow 480 l/min based on optimisation and treatment trials (Thangavadivel et al, 2018). This study examined the contaminated Pb stockpiles at the MTSA in Townsville to determine effectiveness of the HPC for removal of Pb from the soil.…”

Contamination and remediation of contaminated firing ranges—an overview

“…Despite the elimination of the initial source of soil Pb through mechanical sieving, the sieving process itself introduced metallic Pb into the soil particles smaller than 2 mm, leading to an increase in the total soil Pb content from 4,694 to 11,479 mg/kg. Thangavadivel et al (2018) employed a heavy particle concentrator and orbital screening technique to eliminate lead particles. Subsequently, they subjected the treated soil to high-performance concrete as a secondary treatment.…”