Characteristics of Composition B particles from blow-in-place detonations

Chemosphere. 2006 Nov;65(8):1405-13. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.03.077. Epub 2006 Jun 5.

Abstract

We sampled residues from high-order and low-order blow-in-place detonations of mortars and projectiles filled with Composition B (Comp B), a TNT and RDX mixture. Our goals were to (1) characterize the types of explosive particles, (2) estimate the explosive 'footprint' for different munitions, and (3) estimate the mass of Comp B remaining after each detonation. The aerial deposition of Comp B particles helps estimate how large of an area is contaminated by a low-order detonation and how best to sample residue resulting from different rounds. We found that the high-order detonations deposited microgram to milligram quantities whereas the low-order detonations deposited gram quantities of Comp B. For the high-order detonations the concentration of Comp B in the residue decreased as a function of distance from the blast. The low-order tests scattered centimeter-sized chunks and millimeter-sized or smaller particles of Comp B. The chunks were randomly scattered whereas the number of millimeter-sized particles decreased with distance from the detonation. For both high- and low-order detonations we found that the smaller munitions deposited less Comp B than the larger munitions and deposited it closer to the detonation point.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Maryland
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Particle Size*