Nitrate analysis of snow and ice core samples collected in the vicinity of a waste detonation event, McMurdo Station, Antarctica

• Main Authors: White, G. J., Lugar, R. M., Crockett, A. B.
• Other Authors: National Science Foundation (U.S.)
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory 1994
• Subjects: 540250; Nitrates; Ice; Chemicals Monitoring And Transport; Spatial Distribution; Contamination; 54 Environmental Sciences; Ecological Concentration; Waste Disposal; Antarctica 540220; Detonations; Site Resource And Use Studies; Hazardous Materials; McMurdo Station; Antarc*; Antarctica; ice core
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/10191480; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1401311/

On December 30, 1991, a small quantity of hazardous materials was detonated at a site near McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The materials involved in the detonation represented highly reactive or explosive wastes that could not be transported safely for disposal in the United States. Detonation was therefore considered the safest and most effective means for disposing these hazardous materials. One concern regarding the detonation of these substances was that the process could generate or distribute measurable quantities of contaminants to the area surrounding the detonation site. Nitrate was selected as a tracer to document the distribution of contaminants from the detonation. Snow and ice cores were collected about 4 months after the event. These cores were analyzed for nitrate concentrations in May 1993, and a map was generated to show the extent of nitrate contamination. This report describes the collection of these samples and summarizes the analytical results.