title: Field observations of the persistence of Comp B explosives residues in a salt marsh impact area.
abstract: Field observations of weathering Comp B (RDX/TNT 60/40) residue were made on a live-fire training range over four years. The Comp B residue was formed by low-order detonations of 120-mm mortar projectiles. Physical changes were the disaggregation of initially solid chunks into masses of smaller diameter pieces and formation of red phototransformation products that washed off with rain or tidal flooding. Disaggregation increased the surface area of the residue, thereby increasing the potential for dissolution. The bulk of the mass of Comp B was in the craters, but solid chunks were scattered asymmetrically up to 30m away.
authors.affiliation: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, 72 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755-1290, USA. Marianne.E.Walsh@usace.army.mil
authors.forename: Marianne E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010316:Particle Size; D012492:Salts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014872:Water Movements; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D012492:Salts; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D012965:Sodium Chloride