Validation of Passive Sampling Devices for Monitoring of Munitions Constituents in Underwater Environments
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DoD) has custody and responsibility for human safety and environmental stewardship for coastal ranges, many of which have underwater sites that are known to contain underwater military munitions (UWMM), such as discarded military munitions and unexploded ordnance, as a result of historic military activities. In addition to explosive blast (safety) considerations, regulators are increasingly concerned about potential ecological impacts of MC on the marine environment. Although UWMM have the potential to corrode, breach, and leak munitions constituents (MCs) such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine (RDX) into aquatic environments, several challenges prevent accurate assessment of environmental exposure, based on the uncertainties associated with munition presence, condition, propensity for leakage, rapid transformation of some MC, and likelihood for highly localized exposure. This demonstration focused on field validation of commercially available passive sampling devices, specifically Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS), for estimating time averaged water concentrations at underwater sites. Previously calibrated for detection of MC in laboratory-based studies, this report provides new results from further optimization efforts, and provides results from two field studies, including a positive control field study in Santa Rosa Sound, Florida, and a larger scale effort conducted in a bay adjacent to the former Vieques Nava Training Range at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1039974
Entities
People
- Christa Woodley
- David R. Smith
- Guilherme Lotufu
- Gunther Rosen
- Jason Belden
- Molly Colvin
- Robert George
Organizations
- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command