Analytical methods for characterization of explosives-contaminated sites on U.S. Army installations

Thomas F. Jenkins; Marianne E. Walsh; Philip G. Thorne

doi:10.1117/12.224119

9 October 1995 Analytical methods for characterization of explosives-contaminated sites on U.S. Army installations

Thomas F. Jenkins, Marianne E. Walsh, Philip G. Thorne

Proceedings Volume 2504, Environmental Monitoring and Hazardous Waste Site Remediation; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.224119
Event: European Symposium on Optics for Environmental and Public Safety, 1995, Munich, Germany

Abstract

The U.S. Army manufactures munitions at facilities throughout the United States. Many of these facilities are contaminated with residues of explosives from production, disposal of off- specification, and out-of-data munitions. The first step in remediating these sites is careful characterization. Currently sites are being characterized using a combination of on-site field screening and off-site laboratory analysis. Most of the contamination is associated with TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) and RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-tri-nitro-1,3,5-triazine) and their manufacturing impurities and environmental transformation products. Both colorimetric and enzyme immunoassay-based field screening methods have been used successfully for on-site characterization. These methods have similar detection capabilities but differ in their selectivity. Although field screening is very cost-effective, laboratory analysis is still required to fully characterize a site. Laboratory analysis for explosives residues in the United States is generally conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a UV detector. Air-dried soils are extracted with acetonitrile in an ultrasonic bath. Water is analyzed directly if detection limits in the range of 10 - 20 (mu) g/L are acceptable, or preconcentrated using either salting-out solvent extraction with acetonitrile or solid phase extraction.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas F. Jenkins, Marianne E. Walsh, and Philip G. Thorne "Analytical methods for characterization of explosives-contaminated sites on U.S. Army installations", Proc. SPIE 2504, Environmental Monitoring and Hazardous Waste Site Remediation, (9 October 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.224119

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