Table 1. Summary of explosives detected by soil sampling on firing ranges.
Year
Range
found
Source
Reference
19901994
Eagle River Flats,
2,4-DNT, TNT, RDX
From neighboring explosive
a, b
Fort Richardson, Alaska
ordnance disposal area
19951997
CFB Valcartier, CFB Dundurn,
HMX and TNT
Anti-Tank Rockets
c
Western Area Training
Center-Wainwright
1996
Canadian Forces Base Valcartier
HMX and TNT
Anti-Tank Rockets
c,d
1997
Fort Ord Anti-tank Range
HMX and TNT
Anti-Tank Rockets
e
1998
Wellington Anti-tank Firing Range
HMX and TNT
Light AntiTank Weapon Rocket
f
(CFB Gagetown)
1998
Castle Grenade Range (CFB
RDX and TNT
Hand grenades
f
Gagetown)
1998
CFB Chilliwack
RDX and HMX
Hand Grenades, C4, Anti-Tank
g
Rockets
1999
Camp Shelby, Mississippi
NG and 2,4-DNT
Firing Point
h
2000
Fort Lewis Impact Area and Firing
2,4-DNT
Firing Points
i
Point
TNT
Low-order detonations
2000
Fort Lewis Hand Grenade Range
TNT and RDX
Hand grenades
i
2000
Fort Richardson Hand Grenade
TNT and RDX
Hand grenades
i
Range
19982000
Massachusetts Military Reservation
NG and 2,4-DNT
Firing Points
j
2000
Massachusetts Military Reservation
HMX, RDX, TNT, NG
Rockets
k
a. Racine et al. (1992)
b. USAEHA (1994b)
c. Thiboutout et al. (1998)
d. Jenkins et al. (1997)
e. Jenkins et al. (1998)
f. Dube et al. (1999)
g. Ampleman et al. (2000)
h. USACHPPM (2000)
i. Jenkins et al. (2001)
j. Ogden (2000)
k. USEPA (2000a)
detects TNT and other nitroaromatics, and 8510
accuracy for horizontal positioning. Universal
(Field Method for the Determination of RDX in
Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid coordinates were
determined for each sample or set of sample locations.
Soil), which detects RDX and other nitramines plus
Elevation data were also collected for each sample
nitrate esters (USEPA 1996a, 2000b). We also
location. Because elevation data are not as precise as
used the Expray kit (EREZ Forensic Technologies,
horizontal data using GPS systems, we also used a laser
Israel) to identify explosive compositions found in the
field.
level to survey across the width of the terrace to
Based on the results of previous sampling on training
determine elevational differences in the terrace and
ranges (USACHPPM 2000) where most of the samples
height above the active river channel.
were non-detects when analyzed by Method 8330
(Nitroaromatics and Nitramines by High-Performance
ANALYTICAL METHODS
Liquid Chromatography [HPLC]) (USEPA 1994), we
knew that we needed to use an analytical method that
provided detection limits less than 0.2 g/g. We used
Explosives
Method 8095 (Nitroaromatics and Nitramines by GC)
Explosives were characterized using field and
laboratory methods. Field procedures were the
(USEPA 2000c), which uses an electron capture detector
and provides detection limits near 0.001 g/g for TNT
colorimetric Methods 8515 (Colorimetric Screening
and RDX. The method detection limits for Method 8095
Method for Trinitrotoluene [TNT] in Soil), which
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