Table 3. Explosives residues detected in soil impacted by 81-
mm HE projectiles. One composite sample was collected from
each area and three soil subsamples were analyzed for explo-
sives.
Concentration (g/g)
RDX
HMX
TNT
Area Blue (7 fins per 9 m2)
0.002*
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
Area Yellow (no fins)
0.23
0.025
0.002
0.31
0.36
<d
0.095
0.62
<d
Area Red (closer to firing point)
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
<d
0.002*
<d
0.007
Area Pink (farthest from firing point)
0.002*
<d
0.002
0.002*
<d
<d
0.003
<d
<d
*Detected but below method detection limit.
between the concentration of fins (Area Blue) and the
directly in contact with the explosive composition
firing point. This sample had the highest concentration
contained residues of RDX, HMX, and TNT (Fig. 5),
of chromium of all the samples analyzed for metals.
and very low concentrations of the microbial
transformation products of TNT, the two amino-
TOW missile targets
dinitrotoluene isomers (Table 4). Concentrations
We next sampled around targets (Fig. 6) used in tests
dropped precipitously over a few centimeters;
of TOW (Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-
subsurface samples had trace (part per billion)
guided) missiles. There were 111 missiles (32 TOW 2,
concentrations of explosives residues, indicating that
69 TOW 2A, and 10 TOW 2B) tested in February 1995
migration to groundwater is unlikely.
and 69 missiles (10 TOW 2, 39 TOW 2A, and 20 TOW
Metal concentrations (Table 5) were elevated in the
2B) tested in 1996.
composite sample from Area Red that was located
Table 4. Soil directly under 81-mm HE projectile low-order deto-
nation. The explosive composition was determined to be 66%
RDX, 9% HMX and 25% TNT.
Concentration (g/g)
Depth
RDX
HMX
TNT
4-Am-DNT
2-Am-DNT
Surface
0.94
0.22
0.058
0.003
0.002
24 cm
0.005
<d
<d
<d
<d
10 12 cm
0.014
0.002
0.002
<d
<d
2022 cm
0.004
<d
<d
<d
<d
10
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