Tuesday, November 6, 2007
231-8

Effectiveness of Soil Amendments in Metal Stabilization in Florida Shooting Range Soils.

Uttam Saha, Abioye Fayiga, and Lena Q. Ma. University of Florida, Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Soil & Water Science Department, Gainesville, FL 32611

Lead, arsenic, and antimony pollutions in the shooting range soils are of environmental concern due to their adverse impacts on human and animals. Once deposited into soils, bullets undergo weathering, releasing cationic Pb and oxyanionic As and Sb to soils. After accumulated in soils for 3-5 years, bullets are usually removed from the berm soils through sieving. There exist an opportunity of managing these metals by selecting an appropriate berm material with various amendments that is effective in slowing down the weathering process, stabilizing Pb, Sb, and As and facilitating bullets removal. Research works are underway to develop a combined berm material which would be inert with the following considerations: (1) low in OM and Fe since it promotes Pb corrosion though helps Pb sorption; (2) high in pH to slow down weathering of bullets; (3) have binding capacity for metals; (4) easy for bullet removal through sieving; and (5) good drainage to reduce moisture. The experiment is to test the effectiveness of various soil amendments including clay, lime, phosphate rock, Fe-WTR and compost. Impact of simulated rainfalls on metal leaching will be evaluated once in a month. Soil samples will be collected bi-monthly and analyzed for total and water-soluble Pb, As and Sb. Bullets will be removed from soil samples to determine the amounts of weathered Pb, As and Sb. Visibly-weathered bullets will be used for XRD and/or SEM. The results from this study would help to develop effective metal management practices in shooting range soils.