Background:
Historical and continued use of Department of Defense training grounds and firing ranges has resulted in the heterogeneous accumulation of munitions-related compounds. Limited understanding of the mechanisms of toxicity of munitions-related compounds and industrial chemicals amplifies the uncertainty in accurately assessing risks and cleanup goals. As a result of pollutant migration and contamination of sediments, the effects of a wide range of military and industrial contaminants on avian, terrestrial and aquatic organisms need to be assessed. Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is leading the way to understand the unique environmental attributes of munitions related compounds. ERDC's research goal is to assist technology developers, site managers, and cleanup activities while balancing environmental risks.

Benefits:
ERDC's genomic approach has been employed to investigate and understand how ecological receptors such as rodents, birds, earthworms, fish and aquatic invertebrates are affected by munitions and related compounds. Traditional ecological toxicology studies have been expanded using toxicogenomic and computational toxicology and modeling methods to assess and predict effects on ecological receptors due to munitions exposures. Results provide enhanced monitoring, effects screening, and assessment technologies.

The capabilities and research conducted at ERDC have provided tools to identify potential risk pathways and prioritize research needs. Research conducted at ERDC will provide scientists, engineers and regulators with the tools and knowledge to minimize the hazards that munitions-related compounds pose to soldiers and the environment.

• Development of high-density gene arrays for:
  1. Earthworms (Eisenia fetida).
  2. Northern Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus).
  3. The ecotoxicological model species:
     • Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) in collaboration with University of Florida.
     • The water flea Daphnia magna in collaboration with Daphnia magna consortium.
  4. The Staghorn coral Acropora formosa.
• Collaborations with university and government technology developers to address hazard prioritization of chemicals.
• Studies characterizing the toxicity of munitions-related compounds in ecological receptors.

Impact:
Application of these tools has led to an understanding of the environmental impact of munitions at the molecular level on earthworms, fish, birds and rodents. This work has rapidly expanded into developing network and computational models of these organisms providing the basis for future work in predictive toxicology.