Overview of On-Site Analytical Methods
for Explosives in Soil
ALAN B. CROCKETT, THOMAS F. JENKINS, HARRY D. CRAIG, AND WAYNE E. SISK
Energy policies on site characterization and
INTRODUCTION
remediation under the Superfund, Resource Con-
The purpose of this report is to survey the cur-
servation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Installation
rent status of field sampling and on-site analyti-
Restoration, Base Closure, and Formerly Used
cal methods for detecting and quantifying second-
Defense Site environmental programs. Facilities
ary explosives compounds in soils (Table 1). The
that may be contaminated with explosives include,
paper also includes a brief discussion of EPA
for example, active and former manufacturing
Method 8330 (EPA 1995), the reference analytical
plants, ordnance works, Army ammunition plants,
method for the determination of 14 explosives and
Naval ordnance plants, Army depots, Naval am-
co-contaminants in soil.
munition depots, Army and Naval proving
This report is divided into the following major
grounds, burning grounds, artillery impact ranges,
sections: introduction; background; an overview
explosive ordnance disposal sites, bombing
of sampling and analysis for explosives in soil;
ranges, firing ranges, and ordnance test and evalu-
data quality objectives; unique sampling design
ation facilities.
considerations for explosives; procedures for sta-
Historical disposal practices from manufactur-
tistically comparing on-site and reference analyti-
ing, spills, ordnance demilitarization, lagoon dis-
cal methods; a summary of on-site analytical meth-
posal of explosives-contaminated wastewater, and
ods; and a summary of the current EPA reference
open burn/open detonation (OB/OD) of explo-
analytical method, Method 8330 (EPA 1995). Al-
sives sludges, waste explosives, excess propellants,
though some sections may be used independently,
and unexploded ordnance often result in soils con-
joint use of the field sampling and on-site analyti-
tamination. Common munitions fillers and their
cal methods sections is recommended to develop
associated secondary explosives include Amatol
a sampling and analytical approach that achieves
(ammonium nitrate/TNT), Baratol (barium ni-
project objectives.
trate/TNT), Cyclonite or Hexogen (RDX),
Many of the explosives listed in Table 1 are not
Cyclotols (RDX/TNT), Composition A-3 (RDX),
specific target compounds of screening methods,
Composition B (TNT/RDX), Composition C-4
yet they may be detected by one or more screen-
(RDX), Explosive D or Yellow D (AP/PA), Octogen
ing methods because of their similar chemical
(HMX), Octols (HMX/TNT), Pentolite (PETN/
structure. Also listed are the explosives and pro-
TNT), Picratol (AP/TNT), tritonal (TNT), tetrytols
pellant compounds targeted by high performance
(tetryl/TNT), and Torpex (RDX/TNT).
liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods, includ-
Propellant compounds include DNTs and
ing EPA SW-846 Method 8330, the standard
single-base (NC), double-base (NC/NG), and
method required by EPA regions for laboratory
triple-base (NC/NG/NQ) smokeless powders. In
confirmation.
addition, NC is frequently spiked with other com-
pounds (e.g., TNT, DNT, DNB) to increase its ex-
plosive properties. AP/PA is used primarily in
Naval munitions such as mines, depth charges,
BACKGROUND
and medium-to-large caliber projectiles. Tetryl is
Evaluating sites potentially contaminated with
used primarily as a boosting charge, and PETN is
explosives is necessary to carry out U.S. Depart-
used in detonation cord.
ment of Defense, EPA, and U.S. Department of
A number of munitions facilities have high lev-
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