tract Report to U.S. Army Garrison, Alaska, Direc-
Steele, B.B., L.R. Reitsma, and S.L. Burson (1997)
torate of Public Works, FY93 Final Report, p. 312
Waterfowl mortality on Eagle River Flats. In Inter-
322.
agency expanded site investigation: Evaluation of
white phosphorus contamination and potential treat-
The effect of air-drying of contaminated sedi-
ability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.M. Collins and
ments under field conditions on WP concentra-
D. Cate, Ed.). CRREL Contract Report to U.S.
tions was tested. Highly contaminated sediment
Army, Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, FY96
was excavated and placed in 1-m-diameter plots
Final Report, p. 1920.
on land at the edge of ERF. After 56 days of air-
New safety regulations precluded walking on
drying, WP concentrations were reduced to unde-
permanent mortality transects in 1996. Counts of
tectable levels. Visual examination of some of the
ducks from Cole Point indicated duck popula-
dried sediments revealed voids or cavities left fol-
tions similar to other years. Duck use of Bread
lowing sublimation of WP particles. Drying is a
Truck Pond was substantially reduced but not
viable and important method for remediation of
eliminated by the excavation of a drainage ditch.
WP-contaminated sediments but may require
Canoe surveys of Racine Island and Area A indi-
removal of contaminated sediments from the bot-
cated that mortality is still occurring in these
toms of permanently flooded ponds. Artificial
areas.
drainage of these ponds may also produced suffi-
cient drying of contaminated sediments to reduce
or eliminate WP, but the feasibility of this method
Walsh, M.E. (1994) Appendix A: Method docu-
mentation in USATHAMA format: Analytical
is not known.
method for white phosphorus in soil or sediment
(KN01). Revised in April 1992. In Interagency
Walsh, M.E. (1994) Review of chemical and physi-
expanded site investigation: Evaluation of white phos-
cal properties of WP. In Interagency expanded site
phorus contamination and potential treatability at
investigation: Evaluation of white phosphorus contam-
Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine and D. Cate,
ination and potential treatability at Eagle River Flats,
Ed.). CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army Garri-
Alaska (C.H. Racine and D. Cate, Ed.). CRREL Con-
son, Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, FY93
tract Report to U.S. Army Garrison, Alaska, Direc-
Final Report, p. 341369.
torate of Public Works, FY93 Final Report, p. 111
132.
Analyte
Literature describing the physical and chemical
This method is suitable for determining white
properties of white phosphorus was reviewed for
phosphorus (P4).
factors that influence the persistence of white
phosphorus in the environment. Physical proper-
Matrix
ties such as aqueous solubility, dissolution rate,
This method is suitable for determining white
octanol/water partition coefficient, and vapor
phosphorus (P4) in wet soil or sediment.
pressure indicate that solid white phosphorus will
persist indefinitely in saturated sediment. In
unsaturated sediment, solid white phosphorus
General method
has the potential to sublime (vaporize). The rate of
A 40-g subsample of wet soil or sediment is
sublimation increases with temperature. Once in
placed into a 120-mL vial containing 10.0 mL of
the vapor phase, WP may react with oxygen or dif-
isooctane and 10.0 mL of degassed water. The
fuse out of the sediment. Any factor that slows
sample is vortex-mixed for 1 minute, then placed
sublimation will contribute to persistence of WP.
horizontally on a platform shaker for 18 hours or
overnight. The sample is then allowed to stand
Walsh, M.E. (1994) Water sampling. In Interagency
vertically for 15 minutes to allow phase separa-
expanded site investigation: Evaluation of white phos-
tion. A 1.0-mL aliquot of the isooctane layer is
analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with
phorus contamination and potential treatability at
a nitrogen-phosphorus detector.
Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine and D. Cate,
Ed.). CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army Garri-
Walsh, M.E. (1994) Field study of air-drying con-
son, Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, FY93
taminated sediment. In Interagency expanded site
Final Report, p. 185190.
investigation: Evaluation of white phosphorus contam-
During 1993, water samples were also obtained
ination and potential treatability at Eagle River Flats,
and analyzed for WP. CRREL collected 12 water
Alaska (C.H. Racine and D. Cate, Ed.). CRREL Con-
samples from five sites in Area C where WP had
67
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