Long-term fate of depleted uranium at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds
The environmental fate of fragments of depleted uranium (DU) penetrators in soils and waters at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is a concern to the Testing and Evaluation Command (TECOM) of the US Army. This report presents the information from preliminary soil and water samples that were collected from the humid woodlands of APG and the arid Sonoran Desert of YPG. Soil samples collected beneath a penetrator fragment of the firing range at APG showed approximately 12% DU by weight in the surface horizon and DU significantly above background to a depth of about 20 cm. Samples of surface water at APG showed U only at background levels, and bottom sediments showed background U levels but with isotopic ratios of DU instead of natural U. Soil samples beneath a penetrator fragment at YPG showed about 0.5% by weight U in the surface horizon, but only background concentrations and isotopic ratios of U between 8 and 20 cm depth. Results from this preliminary study indicate that DU at APG was redistributed primarily be dissolution and transport with water and possibly by migration of DU colloids or DU attached to small particles. Redistribution at YPG, however, was mainly due to erosion of DU fragments from the impact area and redeposition in washes that drain the area. Proposed work for FY90-FY92 includes additional field sampling, laboratory column studies, and the development of a computer model of DU redistribution at both sites. 39 refs., 11 figs., 5 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOD
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 7180789
- Report Number(s):
- LA-11790-MS; ON: DE90012660
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
DEPLETED URANIUM
SAMPLING
TEST FACILITIES
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EROSION
GEOLOGY
HEALTH HAZARDS
MILITARY FACILITIES
PROGRESS REPORT
PROJECTILES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOILS
STATISTICS
TESTING
WATER CHEMISTRY
ACTINIDES
CHEMISTRY
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
HAZARDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICS
METALS
SIMULATION
URANIUM
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
450000 - Military Technology
Weaponry
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540230 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540330 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
990200 - Mathematics & Computers