SON Number: ERSON-09-04 November 8, 2007 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION (ER) FOCUS AREA FY 2009 STATEMENT OF NEED IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF THE FATE AND TRANSPORT OF MUNITIONS CONSTITUENTS ON OPERATIONAL RANGES 1. OBJECTIVE OF PROPOSED WORK The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) is to solicit fundamental and applied research that leads to a better understanding of the fate and transport of munitions constituents (MC) under specific conditions. Proposals should focus on one or more of the following specific objectives in order to fill gaps in the current knowledge base:
Determine the rate of release of nitroglycerin (NG), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), and nitroguanidine (NQ) from propellant residues as a function of particle size.
Determine the fate and transport properties of munitions constituents when deposited as military grade mixtures in the environment.
Improve our understanding of the fate and transport parameters of munitions constituents in multiple soil types that typically are found at operational ranges.
Research proposals can involve laboratory-, bench-, and field-scale studies, as well as computer modeling to support such efforts. Key contaminants of interest for Objectives 2 and 3 are those compounds that comprise the common military grade mixtures, such as 1,3,5-hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitrotriazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7 tetrazocine (HMX), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), nitroglycerin (NG), and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) co-sponsored a Technical Exchange Meeting on DoD Operational Range Assessment and Management Approaches (August 2007) that identified high priority research topics in this area. Results from the Technical Exchange Meeting emphasized the need for an understanding of the fate and transport of munitions constituents as well as their source zone locations and strength. A more detailed description of these issues can be found in the report from the Technical Exchange .
2. EXPECTED BENEFITS OF PROPOSED WORK
Improving our ability to predict the fate and transport of munitions constituents of concern will result in improved management practices for operational ranges that will minimize the environmental impact of testing and training with live munitions. Such improvements in management practices will ultimately translate into improving our ability to achieve range sustainability. 3. BACKGROUND
DoD policy requires that all DoD ranges and operating areas be managed and operated in such a way as to support their long-term viability and utility to meet the national defense mission while protecting human health and the environment. Environmental considerations that may influence current or future range and operating area activities must be identified as part of the range- sustainment management program (DoD Directive 3200.15this policy, all DoD Components are required to establish and implement procedures to assess the environmental impacts of munitions use on operational ranges (DoD Directive 4715.114715.14ponents have developed and are currently implementing operational range assessment programs (ORAPs). Key elements of the ORAPs include: (1) addressing all operational ranges/range complexes within the U.S.; (2) using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) conceptual site model (CSM) and data quality objectives processes; (3) leveraging existing information to the greatest extent possible; (4) reporting and addressing under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program in accordance with the National Contingency Plan if off-range munitions constituent migration poses an unacceptable risk requiring mitigation; and (5) the Components periodically reevaluating their operational ranges, at least every five years. Key factors in understanding the fate and transport of munitions constituents are dissolution and partitioning between the solid and aqueous phases. Dissolution for explosives and release of propellant components from the polymeric nitrocellulose matrix are the first steps in transport of energetic residues offsite, either vertically into groundwater aquifers or horizontally in overland flow runoff. Colloidal or particulate transport processes in overland flow may also be important. Ongoing research is addressing the rate of dissolution for various types of explosives (SERDP e initial experiments are underway to investigate the release of 2,4- DNT or NG from 105 mm, 5.56 mm, AT-4, and 81 mm illumination propellant; however, data gaps exist. These data are critical to any realistic mathematical modeling of the fate of these components on ranges. With regard to partitioning between the solid and aqueous phase, the soil-water partition coefficient (Kd) metric is the most common measure used in transport codes to describe the extent to which contaminants are sorbed to soils. Kd accounts for various chemical and physical retardation mechanisms.
A complicating factor when assessing fate and transport of munitions constituents is that MCs present on operational ranges do not exist as neat compounds, nor is there one standard soil type at all operational ranges. The presence of multiple chemicals may affect the way a chemical breaks down or moves through the environment. The presence of multiple compounds at an operational range is not adequately reflected in most laboratory scale studies of the fate and transport of MCs. There is a lack of adequate data to understand the difference between the interactions of neat- (or laboratory-) grade MCs versus the military-grade MCs that contain such impurities such as plasticizers and binders. In addition, the types of soil present at operational ranges may vary dramatically, resulting in uncertainties in estimates of the fate and transport of MCs in the environment whenever site-specific data is not available. To strategically guide future investments in support of DoD’s effort to achieve the sustainability of their testing and training ranges, SERDP and ESTCP hosted a Technical Exchange Meeting in August 2007 to identify technology needs of the range management and assessment community that could be addressed through additional research and development efforts supported by SERDP and ESTCP. The findings and recommendations of the meeting participants have been documented in a final report that serves as a strategic plan to guide investments in this area over the next five years by the SERDP and ESTCP programs (itical research paths were identified, including the need for improved understanding of the fate and transport of munitions constituents. 4. COST AND DURATION OF PROPOSED WORK The cost and time to meet the requirements of this SON are at the discretion of the proposer. The proposer should incorporate the appropriate time schedule and cost requirements to accomplish the scope of work proposed. SERDP staff will evaluate the cost and duration of the project plan in light of the scope of work proposed. SERDP projects normally run from two to four years in length and vary considerably in cost consistent with the scope of the effort. Proposers are encouraged to and may submit smaller proposals that offer technical or cost advantages that only address one or more portions of the SON. Limited Scope Proposals: Proposers with innovative approaches to the SON, that entail high technical risk and/or have minimal supporting data, may submit a proposal for a nominal amount of funding (up to $150,000) to develop the data necessary to provide for risk reduction and/or a proof of concept. Proposers should submit in accordance with the SERDP Core Solicitation instructions. Such proposals may be eligible for follow-on funding if they result in a successful initial project. The government reserves the right to fund more than one proposal either to meet this requirement fully or to pursue more than one innovative approach. 5. POINT OF CONTACT Andrea Leeson, Ph.D. Program Manager for Environmental Restoration Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) 901 North Stuart Street, Suite 303 Arlington, VA 22203 Phone: 703-696-2118 Fax: 703-696-2114 E-Mail: [email protected] For Core proposal submission due dates, instructions, and additional solicitation information, visit the Funding & Opportunities page on the SE
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