den Otter J H, Pröfrock D, Bünning T H, Strehse J S, van der Heijden A E D M, Maser E
Department of Energetic Materials, TNO, Ypenburgse Boslaan 2, 2496 ZA The Hague, The Netherlands.
Department Inorganic Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
Toxics. 2023 Mar 1;11(3):238. doi: 10.3390/toxics11030238.
After World War II, large amounts of ammunition were dumped in surface waters worldwide, potentially releasing harmful and toxic compounds to the environment. To study their degradation, ammunition items dumped in the Eastern Scheldt in The Netherlands were surfaced. Severe damage due to corrosion and leak paths through the casings were observed, making the explosives in the ammunition accessible to sea water. Using novel techniques, the concentrations of ammunition-related compounds in the surrounding seabed and in the seawater were analyzed at 15 different locations. In the direct vicinity of ammunition, elevated concentrations of ammunition-related compounds (both metals and organic substances) were found. Concentrations of energetic compounds ranged from below the limit of detection (LoD) up to the low two-digit ng/L range in water samples, and from below the LoD up to the one-digit ng/g dry weight range in sediment samples. Concentrations of metals were found up to the low microgram/L range in water and up the low ng/g dry weight in sediment. However, even though the water and sediment samples were collected as close to the ammunition items as possible, the concentrations of these compounds were low and, as far as available, no quality standards or limits were exceeded. The presence of fouling, the low solubility of the energetic compounds, and dilution by the high local water current were concluded to be the main causes for the absence of high concentrations of ammunition-related compounds. As a conclusion, these new analytical methods should be applied to continuously monitor the Eastern Scheldt munitions dump site.
第二次世界大战后，大量弹药被倾倒在全球的表层水域，有可能向环境中释放有害和有毒化合物。为了研究它们的降解情况，在荷兰东斯海尔德河中倾倒的弹药被打捞上来。观察到由于腐蚀造成的严重损坏以及通过弹壳的泄漏路径，使得弹药中的炸药能够接触到海水。使用新技术，在15个不同地点分析了周围海床和海水中与弹药相关的化合物浓度。在弹药的直接附近区域，发现与弹药相关的化合物（金属和有机物质）浓度升高。水样中含能化合物的浓度范围从低于检测限（LoD）到低两位数的纳克/升范围，沉积物样品中则从低于检测限到个位数的纳克/克干重范围。水中金属浓度高达低微克/升范围，沉积物中则高达低纳克/克干重。然而，尽管水和沉积物样品是尽可能靠近弹药收集的，但这些化合物的浓度很低，并且就现有情况而言，没有超过质量标准或限值。得出结论，污垢的存在、含能化合物的低溶解度以及当地高水流的稀释作用是导致与弹药相关的化合物没有高浓度的主要原因。总之，这些新的分析方法应被应用于持续监测东斯海尔德弹药倾倒场。
