Distribution of Soil-Bound Lead Arising from Rainfall-Runoff Events at Impact Berm of a Military Shooting Range

摘要

Surface runoff from rainfall event is an important indicator of metal mobility in soil, which may enhance non-point source contamination of soil. This study is designed to assess the mobility of soil-bound lead through simulated rainfall runoff experiment and its spatial distribution within the vicinity of a berm at a major military shooting range. Contamination was more significant at the impact area of berm, indicating threefold increase in Pb (17,500 ± 3811 μg/g) within a space of ten years. However, the non-impact area (459 ± 147 μg/g) was less contaminated. Other metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and Zn) analyzed were about background levels except for Cu at impact area. The enrichment ratio of Pb in runoff sediments was mostly high for the 0.43 mm sediment fractions independent of rainfall condition. Principal component analysis (PCA) biplot showed strong correlation between spatial distributions of metals around the vicinity of the berm (farmlands behind the berm) with concentrations on the impact berm soil. Surface runoff simulated on impact area soil had high concentrations of Pb (40.4 - 65.6 μg/mL) which could further lead to enrichment of soil-Pb levels within the vicinity of the berm. Decontamination measure is therefore required to minimize extensive contamination of surrounding soils of the impact berm due to rainfall runoff events.