Toxicity Testing of Soil Samples from J-Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Soil samples from the toxic burning pits, an area adjacent to the toxic burning pits, white phosphorus pits, and riot control pits were tested for their toxicity to lettuce and earthworms as part of an ecological risk assessment of J-Field. To adequately assess the toxicity of chemicals in the soil, it was important to determine effects at several trophic levels. Therefore, standardized screening and definitive phytotoxicity and earthworm toxicity tests were used in the study. If a screening test produced lethal effects, then a definitive test was conducted. Definitive tests used concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100 dry weight basis. Test results from the toxic burning pits showed the overall toxicity to be nontoxic at two sites JBPPC and JBPMA minimally toxic at four sites JBP1C JBP2C, JBPPA, and JBPNP moderately toxic at two sites JBPPB and JBPMC and highly toxic at one site JHDP. An additional site JBPMB was not fully evaluated. Results from the white phosphorus pits were nontoxic for three sites JWP1E, JWPPB, and JWP2C and moderately toxic at one site JWPPA. One site JBT1W from the riot control pits produced minimal toxicity. The majority of the toxicological effects were exhibited by earthworms. Testing with bioassays containing different trophic levels identified toxic sites and sitesareas needing more investigation.