Shooting Range Research Articles

Lead Leaching from Soils and in Storm Waters at Twelve Military Shooting Ranges

Soils from impact berms at 12 military shooting ranges were evaluated for lead leaching by particle-size distribution, sequential extractions, storm water analysis, batch studies with amendments of crushed apatite (FB) and triple-super phosphate (TSP), and column leaching studies with amendments of ashed apatite (FBa) and TSP. Soil particle fractions were determined by ASTM D422-63 and by x-ray diffraction; lead leaching was found by EPA’s SPLP and TCLP. Total and dissolved lead in soils and storm waters were determined by ICP-MS. The residual fraction averaged 79.8% of total mass of lead in all soils. There was significant correlation between TCLP results and lead in the less than 0.075-mm-size fraction for all soils in the study (r2 = 0.82, P << 0.001, n = 13), along with a significant correlation of lead in storm water and soil Fe (r2 = 0.56, P = 0.03, n = 8) and Mn (r2 = 0.59, P = 0.03, n = 8). Average dissolved lead in storm water = 104 μg/L (SD = 152, n = 17). Batch studies of FB 3% and 5% amendments sorbed 85.3% and 88.2% lead, respectively. TSP 3% and 5% amendments created phosphate precipitates that captured 97.6% and 92.7% lead, respectively. In column studies, FBa-amended soils had mixed effectiveness as lead adsorbents, and TSP-amended soils leached more lead than control in all but Virginia (VA) soils. Control, nonamended soils did not leach lead for three soil combination types: New Mexico range b (NMb), Nevada (NV), and South Dakota range 2 (SD2). NMb soil had no lead leachate, presumably due to the high organic matter, pH = 8.2, and very high sulfides. In the NV range soil, a combination of pH = 8.7, low moisture = 1.2%, and mostly fine gravels had no lead leachate. SD2 range had no leachate with pH = 8.2, moderate clay, and organic matter content. Both TSP and FBa amendments leachate pH were significantly different than control leachate pH (FBa: F = 9.47, P = 0.003, n = 120; TSP: F = 115.5, P << 0.001, n = 135). Leachate pH dropped an average 3.7 standard units (SD = 0.93, n = 13) in the first week for TSP-amended soils. Soil pH was the most significant indicator of soil leaching behavior. While TSP can be an effective lead-immobilization mechanism, reduction of soil pH can have an unintended consequence for lead ions not precipitated as phosphates. Range operators would be prudent to monitor soil pH regularly and to know their soil clay and organic matter content.

Evaluating the applicability of regulatory leaching tests for assessing lead leachability in contaminated shooting range soils

Evaluating the applicability of regulatory leaching tests for assessing lead leachability in contaminated shooting range soils

Environmental Risks at Finnish Shooting Ranges—A Case Study

ABSTRACT We studied three Finnish shooting ranges in order to define the extent of the risks associated with elevated environmental concentrations of metals and PAHs. A scoring system revealed that lead, arsenic, and antimony were the most critical contaminants. On Site 3, the concentration of lead in groundwater exceeded the drinking water standard indicating evident health risks. For the remaining two sites we calculated Acceptable Daily Doses (ADD) based on the Reasonable Maximum Exposure (RME) approach and compared them with safe exposure levels. We also used a pharmacokinetic model to determine blood lead levels (PbBs). Risks to biota were assessed using ecological benchmarks and exposure and accumulation models. Prediction of leaching was based on laboratory tests and a distribution model. The health risk assessment for lead resulted in the maximum hazard quotient (HQ) of 1.2 whereas the HQs of As and Sb remained less than 1. Some exposure scenarios produced PbB estimates exceeding 10 μ g dl−1 but based on the uncertainty analysis we expect the health risks to remain insignificant. However, leaching of contaminants presents a risk to groundwater quality. At site 1 the ecotoxicity-based HQs demonstrate high risks to soil biota, small mammals, terrestrial plants and aquatic organisms.

Hydrophobicity of Soil Colloids and Heavy Metal Mobilization

Drying of soil may increase the hydrophobicity of soil and affect the mobilization of colloids after re-wetting. Results of previous research suggest that colloid hydrophobicity is an important parameter in controlling the retention of colloids and colloid-associated substances in soils. We tested the hypothesis that air-drying of soil samples increases the hydrophobicity of water-dispersible colloids and whether air-drying affects the mobilization of colloid-associated heavy metals. We performed batch experiments with field-moist and air-dried (25 degrees C) soils from a former sewage farm (sandy loam), a municipal park (loamy sand), and a shooting range site (loamy sand with 25% C(org)). The filtered suspensions (<1.2 microm) were analyzed for concentrations of dissolved and colloidal organic C and heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn), average colloid size, zeta potential, and turbidity. The hydrophobicity of colloids was determined by their partitioning between a hydrophobic solid and a hydrophilic aqueous phase. Drying increased hydrophobicity of the solid phase but did not affect the hydrophobicity of the dispersed colloids. Drying decreased the amount of mobilized mineral and (organo-)mineral colloids in the sewage farm soils but increased the mobilization of organic colloids in the C-rich shooting range soil. Dried samples released less colloid-bound Cd and Zn than field-moist samples. Drying-induced mobilization of dissolved organic C caused a redistribution of Cu from the colloidal to the dissolved phase. We conclude that drying-induced colloid mobilization is not caused by a change in the physicochemical properties of the colloids. Therefore, it is likely that the mobilization of colloids in the field is caused by increasing shear forces or the disintegration of aggregates.

Lead contamination of an old shooting range affecting the local ecosystem — A case study with a holistic approach

The aim of this case study was to uncover the consequences of lead pellet-derived heavy lead contamination at a cast-off shooting range in southern Finland, covering aspects from soil chemistry and biology up to ecosystem level. The observed changes in the soil properties of the most contaminated areas suggest that the contamination may be disturbing processes of decomposition and nutrient mineralisation. Also two functionally important groups of soil organisms, microbes (as analysed using the PLFA analysis) and enchytraeid worms, were negatively affected by the contamination. Furthermore, there was an indication of reduced pine litter production at the contaminated areas. On the other hand, lead contamination appears not to have affected pine growth or soil-dwelling nematodes and microarthropods, and the general outlook of the whole ecosystem is that of a healthy forest. Thus, the boreal forest ecosystem studied as a whole appears to bear strong resistance to contamination, despite negative effects of lead on many of its components. This resistance may result from e.g. low bioavailability of lead, avoidance of the most contaminated soil horizons and microsites by the organisms, and functional redundancy and development of lead-tolerant populations amongst the organisms. The relative importance of these factors and the mechanisms behind them will be investigated in forthcoming studies.

Workload and Performance: A Field Evaluation in a Police Shooting Range

One vital responsibility of all law enforcement officers lies in their obligation to defend themselves and those around them in the event of a violent threat. The best tool available to them to perform this duty is their sidearm and their skill in using it. To evaluate the efficiency of this tool use, seventy-one police officers participated in a field study examining the relationship between workload and shooting performance. Use of linear regression analysis produced evidence linking higher reported workload on the mental subscale of the NASA-TLX while completing a shooting task to poorer shooting performance when controlling for marksmanship skill. This finding is discussed in the context of previous work in the areas of workload and attentional allocation.

Shot range estimation based on pellet distribution in shots with a pump-action shotgun

In the present study, shots from different ranges were fired using a non-choked pump-action shotgun (Hugsan) of calibre 12 with a bore length of 52 cm and pellets of various sizes. The aim of the study is range estimation from the distribution of pellets. Using pellets of 2, 3.5, 5 and 8 mm size, 5 shots were fired from: 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 ms. The maximum distance between the pellets in vertical and horizontal direction was measured. Statistical evaluation of the data revealed a highly significant correlation for each pellet type; the constant values a and b were calculated to be used in the linear regression equation y= a+ bx. As a conclusion, the linear regression equation as well as table data may allow range determination within acceptable ranges of error for the same barrel length and diameter for the same cartridge type. Under identical conditions they may also provide information for pellets of comparable size.

Weathering of Lead Bullets and Their Environmental Effects at Outdoor Shooting Ranges

Lead contamination at shooting range soils is of great environmental concern. This study focused on weathering of lead bullets and its effect on the environment at five outdoor shooting ranges in Florida, USA. Soil, plant, and water samples were collected from the ranges and analyzed for total Pb and/or toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) Pb. Selected bullet and berm soil samples were mineralogically analyzed with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] was found in both the weathered crusts and berm soils in the shooting ranges with alkaline soil pH. For those shooting ranges with acidic soil pH, hydrocerussite, cerussite (PbCO3), and small amount of massicot (PbO) were predominantly present in the weathered crusts, but no lead carbonate mineral was found in the soils. However, hydroxypyromorphite [(Pb10(PO4)6(OH)2] was formed in a P-rich acidic soil, indicating that hydroxypyromorphite can be a stable mineral in P-rich shooting range soil. Total Pb and TCLP Pb in the soils from all five shooting ranges were significantly elevated with the highest total Pb concentration of 1.27 to 4.84% (w/w) in berm soils. Lead concentrations in most sampled soils exceeded the USEPA's critical level of 400 mg Pb kg−1 soil. Lead was not detected in subsurface soils in most ranges except for one, where elevated Pb up to 522 mg kg−1 was observed in the subsurface, possibly due to enhanced solubilization of organic Pb complexes at alkaline soil pH. Elevated total Pb concentrations in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] (up to 806 mg kg−1 in the aboveground parts) and in surface water (up to 289 μg L−1) were observed in some ranges. Ranges with high P content or high cation exchange capacity showed lower Pb mobility. Our research clearly demonstrates the importance of properly managing shooting ranges to minimize adverse effects of Pb on the environment.

The private eye as urbane

It is in such a city, of the derelict and the displaced, that film-goers once encountered the private eye. And while we recognise the private eye as naturally urban, the ‘hard-boiled’ guys of Chandler, David Goodis and their imitators rarely appeal as urbane. Dictionary advice offers a neatly-plotted resolution to such a puzzle, informing us that ‘urbane’ is dependent on ‘urban’ in the manner that ‘humane’ is connected unavoidably to ‘human’. As with much of the information scattered across a mystery narrative, such deduction may be too neat. The varying linkages of ‘urban’ and ‘urbane’ can be queried in that classic tale of the twentieth-century city, the detective story. In what sense is the detective, as urbane male hero, dependent on the urban world in which he moves?; ;

Lead Remediation at an Illicit Shooting Range — A Brownfields Success Story

(2002). Lead Remediation at an Illicit Shooting Range — A Brownfields Success Story. Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal: Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 422-423.

Ecological and human health risks at an outdoor firing range

AbstractThis is the first report in the refereed literature of a quantitative ecological and human health risk assessment at an outdoor recreational shooting range. Contaminants of concern (COC) included lead, other metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) associated with the clay targets on the shotgun range. Ecological receptors included raptors, deer, foxes, birds, and small mammals. The risk associated with potential incidental ingestion of lead shot by mammals was estimated for the first time. With the exception of lead, risks were minimal to all ecological receptors from all COC acting through all exposure pathways. Lead posed minimal risk to raptors, foxes, or deer. Lead in dietary items posed a small risk to individual birds. The only substantive risk was to individual small mammals and gritingesting birds from the incidental ingestion of lead shot within the shotfall zone at the trap and skeet range. Although effects associated with lead ingestion may occur at the level of individual organisms, ecological impacts are not expected at the population, community, or ecosystem level. This is because density‐dependent compensation mechanisms would likely offset any site‐related loss of a few individuals that might occur. Human receptors included shooters, range workers, and trespassers. Cancer risks to all receptors from all COC via all exposure pathways were less than 10−4, generally considered an acceptable upper bound excess lifetime cancer risk to an individual. The only noncarcinogenic risk of HQ &gt; 1 was associated with inhalation of copper by those engaged in the voluntary activity of shooting. Two approaches were taken to modeling blood lead in children associated with intermittent exposure. Under the most likely exposure scenario, the mean blood lead level of trespassing children was approx. 2 μg/dL, with less than 1% of children exceeding the 10‐μg/dL level of concern. Higher blood lead levels could be possible if children were to trespass in off‐limit areas of the shooting range.

Disruption of auxin transport is associated with aberrant leaf development in maize

Despite recent progress, the mechanisms governing shoot morphogenesis in higher plants are only partially understood. Classical physiological studies have suggested that gradients of the plant growth regulator auxin may play a role in controlling tissue differentiation in shoots. More recent molecular genetic studies have also identified knotted1 like homeobox (knox) genes as important regulators of shoot development. The maize (Zea mays L.) mutant rough sheath2 (rs2) displays ectopic expression of at least three knox genes and consequently conditions a range of shoot and leaf phenotypes, including aberrant vascular development, ligular displacements, and dwarfism (R. Schneeberger, M. Tsiantis, M. Freeling, J.A. Langdale [1998] Development 125: 2857-2865). In this report, we show that rs2 mutants also display decreased polar auxin transport in the shoot. We also demonstrate that germination of wild-type maize seedlings on agents known to inhibit polar auxin transport mimics aspects of the rs2 mutant phenotype. The phenotype elaborated in inhibitor-treated plants is not correlated with ectopic KNOX protein accumulation.

Fate of nitrogen from crop residues as affected by biochemical quality and the microbial biomass

Net mineralization of N from a range of shoot and root materials was determined over a period of 6 months following incorporation into a sandy-loam soil under controlled environment conditions. Biochemical “quality” components of the materials showed better correlation with net N mineralization than did gross measures of the respiration and N content of the soil microbial community during decomposition. The quality components controlling net N mineralization changed during decomposition, with water-soluble phenolic content significantly correlated with net N mineralization at early stages, and water-soluble N, followed by cellulose at later stages. C-to-N and total N were correlated with net N mineralization towards the end of the incubation only. Cumulative microbial respiration during the early stages of decomposition was correlated with net N mineralization measured after 2 months, at which time maximum net N mineralization was recorded for most residues. However, there was no relationship between microbial-N and net N mineralization. Biochemical quality factors controlling the C and N content of the residue remaining at the end of the incubation as light fraction organic matter (LFOM) were also investigated. Both C and N content of LFOM derived from the residues were correlated with residue cellulose content, and the chemical characteristics of LFOM were highly correlated with those of the original plant material. Incorporation of low cellulose, high water-soluble N-containing shoot residues resulted in more N becoming mineralized than had been added in the residues, demonstrating that net mineralization of native soil organic matter had occurred. Large amounts of N were lost from the mineral-N pool during the incubation, which could not be accounted for by microbial immobilization.

High-performance discharges in the Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak (START)

The Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak (START) [A. Sykes et al., Nucl. Fusion 32, 769 (1994)] spherical tokamak has recently achieved the record value of toroidal β∼30% in a tokamak-like configuration. The improvements that have made these results possible are presented along with a description of the global equilibrium parameters of the discharges. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of these discharges is analyzed, and they are found to be in close proximity to both the ballooning limit and the external current driven kink limit, but they are found to be far from the pressure driven external kink limit. Disruptivity for a range of shots is not correlated with the normalized β limit, but does correlate well with the empirical high-li disruption limit. The transport properties of these high-β equilibria are analyzed and compared to conventional tokamak scaling laws and transport models. The global transport is at least as good as that predicted by the ITER97-ELMy (edge-localized) scaling law. The local ion transport is in good agreement with that predicted by neoclassical models. The electron transport is anomalous, showing rough agreement with the Lackner–Gottardi transport model.

An epizootic of lead poisoning in greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) in Spain.

During November 1992 to March 1993, and November 1993 to February 1994, 106 greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) were collected dead or moribund in the wetlands of El Fondo and Salinas de Santa Pola, eastern Spain. Birds still alive were emaciated and had a bile-stained diarrhea. On necropsy, they had liquid in the upper digestive tract and the walls of their gizzards were stained dark green. Fifty-three (93%) of 57 gizzards examined contained lead shot (range one to 277 shot), and fifty-five (96%) of 57 livers contained levels of lead greater than 5 micrograms/g dry weight (DW) (median = 192.3 micrograms/g DW, range < 2.5 to 992.2 micrograms/g DW).

Tales from an Oklahoma Shooting Range

Tales from an Oklahoma Shooting Range

Higher order moments of the matter distribution in scale-free cosmological simulations with large dynamic range

We calculate reduced moments $\overline \xi_q$ of the matter density fluctuations, up to order $q=5$, from counts in cells produced by Particle--Mesh numerical simulations with scale--free Gaussian initial conditions. We use power--law spectra $P(k) \propto k^n$ with indices $n=-3,~-2,~-1,~0,~1$. Due to the supposed absence of characteristic times or scales in our models, all quantities are expected to depend on a single scaling variable. For each model, the moments at all times can be expressed in terms of the variance $\overline \xi_2$, alone. We look for agreement with the hierarchical scaling ansatz, according to which $\overline \xi_q \propto \overline \xi_2^{~q-1}$. For $n\leq -2$ models we find strong deviations from the hierarchy, which are mostly due to the presence of boundary problems in the simulations. A small, residual signal of deviation from the hierarchical scaling is however also found in $n \geq -1$ models. For the first time, due to our large dynamic range and careful checks of scaling and shot--noise effects, we are able to detect evolution away from the perturbation theory result.

Pre-maturity gradients in shoot size and in number and size of florets for spring barley treated with mepiquat chloride

SummaryEffects of mepiquat chloride on gradients of shoot growth within spring barley plants (cv. Koru) were determined in two small-scale field experiments. Mepiquat chloride was applied at either the lemma primordium stage or the late carpel primordium stage of spike development in the main shoot. The shoot dry weight, stem length, spike length, number and size of florets and floret developmental score were measured for all shoots, over the period from the lemma primordium stage of main shoot spike development to the late milk stage of grain development.Lemma primordium mepiquat chloride increased the size and developmental score of later-formed shorter shoots pre-anthesis while delaying the spike development of the main shoot and other longer shoots by up to 4 days. The overall effect was to produce plants with a reduced range of shoot and spike sizes from the end of floret initiation in the main shoot until maturity. In addition, there was a slight increase in the number of shoots per plant in both experiments. Gradients of carpel development and carpel width along the spike were reduced in all treated spikes by the time of floret abortion in the main shoot but the effects were more noticeable in shorter shoots. The number of florets initiated per plant was increased by 21–22%. All shoots contributed to the larger number of florets but again the major additions came from the shorter shoots. The few extra florets initiated in longer shoots were lost during abortion of distal florets while the 2–5 extra florets on shorter shoots were retained to give extra grains at maturity.Application of mepiquat chloride at the late carpel primordium stage had little effect on gradients of spike size or on number, size and development of florets.

Phosphorus export from roots to shoots of barley, buckwheat and rape seedlings with different P status

Seedlings of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cvs Salka and Zita), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and rape (Brassica napus L. ssp. napus cv. Line) were grown in complete nutrient solutions with 8 or 10 different P concentrations in the range of 0–2 mM. Phosphate export from roots to shoots was determined from the amount of 32P (or 33P) absorbed and exported to shoots in 1 h from a nutrient solution containing 0.1 mM radiolabelled phosphate. P export was also determined in the presence of a metabolic uncoupler (DNP, 2.4‐dinitrophenol) and a protein synthesis inhibitor (CH, cycloheximide).Phosphorus export from roots to shoots reached a maximum at a certain optimum level of phosphorus in shoots and roots, and decreased at both higher and lower P levels. Maxinmm P export was 1.7 ± 0.2 and 4.5 ± 0.5 (mean ±se of the three species) times higher than the P export at the lowest and highest [P]root, respectively. Hill plots as well as plots of the untransformed decreasing P export vs root or shoot P concentrations above the optimum were linear and had high correlation coefficients. The Hill coefficient (nH) based on [P]root, was —7.7 for barley cv. Salka and varied between ‐3.8 and ‐4.5 for the other species. Based on [P]shootot nH was—16.1 for barley cv. Salka, ‐3.7 for barley cv. Zita and ‐6.4 for the two dicotyledonous species. Relative to the amount of P simultaneously absorbed by the root system, the import of P per unit shoot weight decreased linearly over the whole range of shoot P concentrations in the dicotyledonous species. In contrast, the relative import of P per unit shoot weight of the two barley cultivars increased at low levels of [P]shoot and decreased at higher levels. DNP and CH almost eliminated P export from roots to shoots of seedlings with low or high P status. In seedlings with medium P status only 60 to 75% of the P export was affected.

Maximizing the range of the shot put without calculus

Maximizing the range of the shot put without calculus