Protocols for Collection of Surface Soil Samples at Military Training and Testing Ranges for the Characterization of Energetic Munitions Constituents

Abstract : In the past, very little guidance has been available for site characterization activities addressing the concentration and mass of energetic residues in military training range soils. Energetic residues are heterogeneously distributed over military training ranges as particles of various sizes, shapes, and compositions. Most energetic residues are deposited on the surface, and the highest concentrations exist at firing positions, near targets, and where demolition activities are performed. In the case of impact and demolition ranges the greatest quantities of residues are from rounds that fail to detonate as designed. To address the compositional and distributional heterogeneity associated with the distribution of particles and to obtain representative mean energetic residue soil concentrations, the sampling strategy must strive for the acquisition of samples that contain the constituents of concern in the same proportion to the bulk matrix as exists within the decision unit (sampled area, population, or exposure unit). This report summarizes the sampling strategies and designs that have been implemented for various types of military ranges, including hand grenade, antitank rocket, artillery, bombing, and demolition ranges. These protocols were developed during investigations on active ranges and primarily addressed potential surface source zones from which energetic residues could be migrating into surface and groundwater systems. A multi-increment sampling strategy was selected to accomplish this task after exposing the inadequacies of discrete sampling.