On-Site Processing and Subsampling of Surface Soil Samples for the Analysis of Explosives

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Abstract
The on-site implementation of a sampling and analysis plan for the determination of explosives residues exposed a large uncertainty in our ability to quickly obtain representative subsamples from either large (500 g) composite and/or large discrete samples. To improve the representativeness of on-site analysis, a simple on-site processing (grinding and mixing) and subsampling protocol was evaluated. Surface samples from three firing range characterization activities were taken through a procedure where the bulk samples were air-dried, sieved (#10, 2 mm), ground with a portable hand-operated mill, mixed, and then subsamples using layered bedding technique. This approach reduces laboratory-subsampling variance for both sparsely vegetated and vegetated surface soils. Moreover, during a subsequent dynamic sampling and analysis effort, this protocol was success fill in ranking explosives residue concentrations associated with a specific military training activity.

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