Shells, chemical lewisite

After PINS confirmation, explosive shells are best detonated on-site as even unfused old ordnance can have hypersensitive crystals growing in the exudate that forms in the bottom of the shell as the explosives age. For single UXO on a range, the author believes in the as is where is philosophy for detonating explosive ordnance. Simply build a containment structure and sandbag it over the shell and detonate it where it is. However, chemical shells with Lewisite or other arsenicals will leave behind arsenic, which must be cleaned up after detonation. If not detonated where found for fear of touching off adjacent munitions, or because of the proximity of buildings or people, the UXO should be robotically moved as short a distance as possible for detonation. 

Minute quantities of sulfur mustard are used by various military and contract laboratories for defense research purposes, and for verification of Chemical Weapons Convention comphance. Bulk quantities of sulfur mustard are no longer manufactured in the USA. Military stockpiles of sulfur mustard are awaiting destruction or are in the process of being destroyed. Some sulfur mustard may also be found buried or abandoned at former defense sites. Sulfur mustard was frequently loaded into artillery shells and aerial bombs (often with lewisite). Various quantities of sulfur mustard also exist in other countries. Large amounts of sulfur mustard have been disposed of at sea. 

Hanaoka, S., Nomura, K., Wada, T. (2006). Determination of mustard and lewisite related compounds in abandoned chemical weapons (yellow shells) from sources in China and Japan. J. Chromatogr. A 1101 268-77. 

Armstrong GC, Wells HB, Wilkes AE et al. (1928). Comparative Test with Mustard Gas (HS) Lewisite (Ml), Methyldicloroarsine (MD) and Methyldiflu-orarsine (MD2) in 75 mm Shell Fired Statically in Collaboration with Chemical Division. EAMRD 95. Edgewood Arsenal, MD, USA Department of the Army, Medical Research Division. 

After a time, the statistics of the size and scope of the American poison gas programme begin to glaze the eye.27 Pine Bluff alone, at its peak, employed 10,000 men and women it even made use of the labour supplied by a nearby prisoner of war camp. From 31 July 1942 when it first went into production, through to 1945, the Arsenal produced literally millions of grenades, bombs and shells filled with chemical agents, as well as thousands of tons of chlorine, mustard gas and Lewisite. At the end of the war most of it had to be dumped in the sea its manufacture had cost the American taxpayer 500 million. 

For another example, ranges may have tested an occasional chemical shell or bomb. Lewisite contamination has been found at the World War II Pontiac Bombing Range in South Carolina (now a residential subdivision). Chemical weapons developed at AUES were tested at Langley Field in Virginia, Camp Simms in Washington, DC, and Fort Foote in Maryland. 

As noted previously, the District of Columbia surveyed the adjacent American University area and found several anomahes. The Corps surveyed portions of American University and found 600 anomalies. Excavation on a portion of Lot 18 on the American University campus has confirmed 30 shells to date with a burn pit of debris including six 50-gal drums of chemical glassware. Thirty bottles—one containing Lewisite— have also been found. Some residents have reported health problems to the ERA, including the resident that testified before the City Council. 

Captured chemical weapons comprised hundreds of thousands of tonnes of various contaminants yperite and its derivatives, arsenic-containing compounds (lewisite and so on), chlorine-containing substances (phosgene), hydrocyanic acid, and organophosphorous compounds (tabun). The weapons were stored (both as ready ammunition - aerial bombs, shells, and mines - and in barrels and kegs) in several arsenals in occupied Germany. 

The Army emptied its Brisbane chemical weapon depot, including 8,000 tons of mustard gas containers, 8,000 tons of Lewisite containers, 8,000 tons of artillery shells fiUed with unidentified chemical warfare agents, and 6,400 tons of unidentified toxic projectiles this was dumped 20 miles off Cape Moreton in a shallow 600 feet of water. 

POIs 13 and 14 were the northern circular trenches and a side pit. On January 5, 1993, laboratory glassware and munitions were found buried in the pit The discovery was made by a contractor digging a trench to install utility lines to a newly constructed house. One chemical shell was breached by the backhoe. An emergency removal action was conducted that eventually resulted in 141 shells being excavated, of which 44 were deemed chemical. Some were high explosives, filled with gun cotton. Lewisite (L-2 and L-3) was found on glassware. 

The AUES is a very complex site. The primary focus of the investigadon under the District of Columbia s direction was the finding of bnrial sites containing CWM and explosive or chemical ordnance. As a direct and proximate result of the District s work, 655 shells (many had already leaked) and 220 bottles containing Lewisite, mnstard, bromine componnds, and other chemical warfare agents and precursors have been found. A secondary objective was to find areas of contamination. Approximately 10 percent of the properties have been found to contain elevated levels of arsenic, and about 15 required time-critical removal actions. 

The Japanese also used mustard for filling shells and bombs, primarily as a 50 50 mixture with Lewisite to lower the freezing point. Examples of Japanese chemical munitions are Artillery shells, 150 mm and 105 mm and Mortar rounds 90 mm, filled with either mustard gas /Lewisite mixture or diphenylcyanoarsine, and Artillery shells 75 mm filled with either phosgene or diphenylcyanoarsine. In addition there were 15 kg and 60 kg aerial bombs, toxic smoke candles and canisters filled with diphenylcyanoarsine. [12] Japan is estimated to have produced a total of around 1.7 million CW bombs and shells, and 5.7 million chemical candles and grenades. One source quotes the total amount of chemical munitions produced by Japan, regardless of agent fill, as approximately 7.4 million.[20] As already stated in an earlier paragraph, Chinese sources estimate that approximately 2 million of these rounds were abandoned in Northern China.[7]... 

Hanaoka, Shige5ruki, Koji Nomura, and Takeharu Wada. Determination of Mustard and Lewisite Related Compounds in Abandoned Chemical Weapons (Yellow Shells) from Sources in China and Japan. Journal of Chromatography A (2006) 268—77. 

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