CLS Cadets Collect Soil & Water from USMA Ranges

Class of 2016 chemistry majors from CH487, Advanced Chemistry Laboratory, under supervision, collected soil and water samples from several USMA Firing Ranges. The cadets will analyze the samples they collected for inorganic (metal) content and residual organic materials (energetic material decomposition products) as one of their projects in CH487. Samples of soil were collected from Ranges 5, 11, 11B, and 12 and water samples were collected from the creek running through Range 11 and the intersection of Zint’s Brook and Popolopen Creek. Zint’s Brook will contain run-off materials from the Impact Area and feeds into Popolopen Creek. The collection was conducted in support of and coordinated with the USMA Range Control Office and the results will be reported to USMA Range Control personnel and USMA Environmental Office personnel. CH487 is the chemistry program capstone course in which the cadets design and conduct their own experiments in order to answer a specific question posed by the course director, other faculty, or outside agencies.