Evaluation of soil contamination by explosives and metals at the Land Force Central Area Training Centre (LFCA TC) Meaford, Ontario (Phase I)
Abstract
This work describes the first evaluation of the impacts of the live firing training at the Land Force Central Area Training Centre (LFCA TC) Meaford, Ontario (Phase I). This study was conducted in September 2007 by DRDC Valcartier for Director Land Environment (DLE) to evaluate soil contamination by explosives and metals. In parallel, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) conducted sampling and analysis of surface water and groundwater for metals and explosives and produced a separate report describing their results. In our study, most of the ranges at LFCA TC Meaford were sampled during the September 2007 campaign. Seventeen ranges were sampled to evaluate the explosives and/or metals contamination. More precisely, at the small arms ranges, skeet range, artillery firing positions, anti-tank, grenade and other ranges, 135 soil samples were collected and analysed, including 79 for energetic materials, 56 for metals and seven for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analyses. Surface and groundwater samples (35) were collected by INRS, analysed by DRDC Valcartier and revealed no energetic materials. Twenty soil background samples were taken for the metals evaluation for comparison purposes. Soil samples collected from Apeldorn, Cambrai, Ortona, Paardeburg Anti-tank, the Urban Assault and Skeet Ranges, as well as all the small arms ranges: Gully, Alpha and Gravenstafel Ridge; were analysed for metals contamination. Metal analyses were done using Inductively Coupled Plasma /Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) and explosives concentrations were determined using the High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Method EPA 8330b. Results showed that some firing positions are contaminated by energetic materials at low concentrations. Surprisingly, some firing positions contained metals at values higher than the industrial human health risk threshold criteria of the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA611165
Entities
People
- Andre Marois
- Annie Gagnon
- Guy Ampleman
- Sonia Thiboutot
Organizations
- DRDC Valcartier