Persistence of White Phosphorus Particles in Sediment,

Abstract

Remediation of sediments at Eagle River Flats, a salt marsh contaminated with particles of white phosphorus (P4), may require severe alterations of the wetland by dredging, draining or covering. However, some sediments may undergo decontamination naturally in areas that are seasonally exposed to air. To predict the persistence of white phosphorus particles in sediments, a literature review was conducted for the physical and chemical properties of white phosphorus. The persistence of millimeter-size white phosphorus particles was studied by laboratory and field experiments. White phosphorus particles were found to be persistent indefinitely in saturated sediments. In unsaturated sediments, loss was rapid (within 24 hours) at 20 deg C and retarded by low temperatures. jg p2

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA303741

Entities

People

  • Charles H. Racine
  • Charles M. Collins
  • Marianne E. Walsh

Organizations

  • Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aqueous Solutions
  • Birds
  • Chemical Properties
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Depth Indicators
  • Environment
  • Fish
  • Groundwater
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Of Fusion
  • Latent Heat
  • Low Temperature
  • Measurement
  • Particles
  • Physical Properties

Readers

  • Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science
  • Aquatic Ecology