Antimony sinks in the weathering crust of bullets from Swiss shooting ranges

Ackermann, Sonia; Gieré, Reto; Newville, Matthew; Majzlan, Juraj

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.10.059

Cited by 76 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…However, they are in line with previously found concentrations of Sb in shooting range and mining sites that range up to 17,500 mg kg −1 [5,8,22,34,49,50]. It must be noted, however, that extremely small bullet residues (<100 μm) can be present in the soil [4]. This is possibly the reason for high relative standard deviations (RSD) of the total Sb and total Pb concentrations in replicate digests (as high as 15.8 and 19.1%, respectively), although we did not directly assess the presence of such small bullet residues.…”

Section: Total Sb Concentrations In the Shooting Range Soilssupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Because of its compatibility with lead (Pb), Sb is also used as a hardening agent in batteries and ammunition [3]. Sb in shooting range soils can pose an environmental risk, since the weathering of bullets will gradually release Sb into the environment [4]. Furthermore, mining activities of Sb are a major source of soil contamination in Sb-producing countries [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Release and Biomethylation of Antimony in Shooting Range Soils upon Flooding

2018

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Antimony (Sb) is an understudied pollutant with potentially toxic effects at particularly low concentrations. The fate of Sb in the environment is complicated because of its many chemical forms at varying oxidation states. Here, we validated an extraction method and an analytical technique to quantify inorganic and methylated Sb in bulk soil and soil solution. We identified and quantified trimethylantimony (TMSb) in shooting range soils for the first time, up to a concentration of 1.35 mg kg −1 . Then, we evaluated the release of Sb species from soil to soil solution as well as the influence of manure addition upon flooding in an incubation experiment with fresh soils from shooting ranges. This incubation experiment showed an immediate and exhaustive Sb release into the soil solution (within 6 h), reaching over 3000 µg L −1 for one site, followed by a sharp decline and again a slow increase at the end of the incubation in Sb concentrations in the soil solution for two of the three sites. TMSb was also formed in the soil solution after 4 to 10 days. High dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and the dissolution of Fe-and Mn-(oxy-)hydroxides were the main drivers of Sb release, while the addition of organic matter (OM) drove TMSb formation.

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Section: Total Sb Concentrations In the Shooting Range Soilssupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Release and Biomethylation of Antimony in Shooting Range Soils upon Flooding

2018

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“…Walker et al, 2006). Moreover, coatings on the surface of Sb-containing munitions have been shown to be enriched in both Fe and Pb (Ackerman et al, 2009). Thus at Glendinning, we propose that oxidative dissolution processes lead to the loss of Sb (Biver and Shotyk, 2012) and As (Walker et al, 2006) whilst precipitation favours the enrichment of Fe and Pb in surface spoil.…”

Section: Gel Electrophoretic Patternsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Mobility of antimony, arsenic and lead at a former antimony mine, Glendinning, Scotland

Macgregor

MacKinnon

Farmer

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

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HIGHLIGHTS• Solid phase speciation of antimony, arsenic, lead and iron differed between sites.• Elevated soil porewater antimony concentrations were linked to DOM and spoil leaching.• Leaching from spoil resulted in elevated antimony concentrations in stream water. AbstractElevated concentrations of antimony (Sb), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) in upland organic-rich soils have resulted from past Sb mining activities at Glendinning, southern Scotland. Transfer of these elements into soil porewaters was linked to the production and leaching of dissolved organic matter and to leaching of spoil material. Sb was predominantly present in truly dissolved (<3 kDa) forms whilst As and Pb were more commonly associated with large Fe-rich/organic colloids. The distinctive porewater behaviour of Sb accounts for its loss from deeper sections of certain cores and its transport over greater distances down steeper sections of the catchment. Although Sb and As concentrations decreased with increasing distance down a steep gully from the main spoil heap, elevated concentrations (~6-8 and 13-20 μg L −1 , respectively) were detected in receiving stream waters. Thus, only partial attenuation occurs in steeply sloping sections of mining-impacted upland organic-rich soils and so spoil-derived contamination of surface waters may continue over time periods of decades to centuries.Capsule abstract: Production and leaching of dissolved organic matter led to the concomitant transfer of truly dissolved Sb to soil porewaters. Leaching of spoil-derived Sb impacted on the quality of receiving stream waters.

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“…3) suggests that these two ASR directly originated from weathered bullets. [37] Reductive dissolution of Sb-loaded Mn minerals provides the only plausible explanation for the difference in Sb leaching between the two sterilisation treatments in the first phase of the experiment, as there were still no differences in other parameters that could explain this effect. [38] Although the increase in Sb concentration during the first 18 h of the experiment may have been caused by the initial increase in pH, the slight increase in pH (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under manganese- and iron-reducing conditions: column experiments

et al. 2014

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Environmental context. Contamination of shooting range soils by antimony (Sb) released from corroding ammunition has become an issue of public environmental concern. Because many of these sites are subject to waterlogging and consequently limited aeration, we performed column experiments with contaminated shooting range soil to investigate Sb mobility under such conditions. The results are important for our understanding of the risks arising from Sb-contaminated soils, and also for the derivation of appropriate management strategies for such sites.Abstract. Despite the environmental risks arising from antimony-contaminated sites, critical factors controlling the mobility of Sb in soils have still not been fully identified to date. We performed column experiments to investigate how reducing conditions affect Sb leaching from a calcareous shooting range soil, with a special focus on the relationship between Sb release and mineral dissolution processes. After eluting the columns for 5 days with 15 mM lactate solution at a flow rate of 33 mm day À1 , the flow was interrupted for 37 days and then resumed for another 5 days. With the transition to moderately reducing conditions (,300 mV) after 1 day of flow, effluent Sb V and manganese (Mn) concentrations showed a concomitant increase, providing evidence that Sb V associated to these phases was released by the reductive dissolution of Mn minerals. The release of Sb V was counteracted by the reduction to Sb III , which was first scavenged by iron (Fe) (hydr) oxides and then slowly liberated again when the redox potential further decreased to Fe-reducing conditions. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of an initial pool of Sb associated with Mn-containing, Fe-free phases, underpinning the important role of the latter in addition to Fe (hydr)oxides as Sb sorbents.

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Antimony sinks in the weathering crust of bullets from Swiss shooting ranges

Cited by 76 publications

References 24 publications

Release and Biomethylation of Antimony in Shooting Range Soils upon Flooding

Release and Biomethylation of Antimony in Shooting Range Soils upon Flooding

Mobility of antimony, arsenic and lead at a former antimony mine, Glendinning, Scotland

Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under manganese- and iron-reducing conditions: column experiments

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