Lead contamination of soil: Quantifying the oxidation rate of lead shot

Abstract

Substantial soil lead (Pb) contamination has been documented at clay target shooting ranges where total Pb concentrations greater than 10 000 mg kg⁻¹ have been commonly reported ( Manninen & Tanskanen, 1993; Mellor & McCartney, 1994; Rooney et al., 1999). Lead shot deposited on the soil surface is subject to oxidation, creating more soluble forms of Pb. Interaction between the oxidation products and soil causes an elevation in the concentration of Pb associated with the soil fine earth fraction. To date, only approximate estimations of the oxidation rate of Pb shot have been made (Jorgensen & Willems, 1987; Lin, 1996). We have attempted to quantify shot oxidation rates under various soil conditions.