Investigation of Accumulation and Transport of Hazardous Metals (HMs) Generated from Explosive Ordnance (EO) in Wide Range of Soils

Description

The build-up or accumulation of hazardous metals (HMs) in Explosive Ordnance (EO) ranges and the subsequent transport of HMs from their build-up points (BUPs) to the receiving body or receptor is extremely important in assessing the risks posed towards humans and environment by the EO disposal activities. In addition to environmental persistence of HMs, occupational exposure to energetic compounds has also been linked to elevated cancer risk in the ammunition workforce. Hence, we highlight the fact that whilst Defence personnels are at the risk of direct exposure to HMs at BUPs, members of wider communities can also be indirectly exposed to HMs via their transport through soil and water. To date, there is lack of data on the health and environmental risks associated with various hazardous contaminants resulting from the EO disposal in Defence controlled ranges. HMs are important constituents of EMs and existing knowledge gaps extend to the accumulation and fate of HMs resulting from EO activities around the world. Various HMs such as lead, copper, and cadmium were reported to pose higher than generally accepted carcinogenic risk values in military gunnery range. Therefore, a thorough investigation of accumulation of HMs in the BUPs and their transport to ground or surface water reserves via soil is the prerequisite for human health risk assessment and environmental restoration. This study addresses the fate and transport of HMs in soil and understanding the complex role played by the EO range activities (e.g., manufacturing of EO, disposal, clean up, remediation) as well as climate (in terms of wet and dry deposition) on the accumulation of HMs (such as lead, copper, antimony, zinc and cadmium) at the BUPs. Additionally, this study will characterize and monitor the complex role played by soil quality on the transport of HMs via physical or chemical processes (such as surface runoff, infiltration, leaching, adsorption and absorption). The objective of this study is to accurately assess human health risk of wider communities as well as environmental risk posed by HMs generated at EO ranges.