ASTM F1129-01
(Guide)Standard Guide for Using Aqueous Foams to Control the Vapor Hazard from Immiscible Volatile Liquids
Standard Guide for Using Aqueous Foams to Control the Vapor Hazard from Immiscible Volatile Liquids
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
This guide is intended as a general guide to the correct use of foams. Specific decisions on when or if foam should be used will depend on the circumstances and conditions of each spill situation.
Polar solvent resistant AFFF can be applied to some water reactive chemicals with a medium expansion foam nozzle to extinguish a fire and to reduce toxic vapor release to the environment.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide restricts itself to addressing the application of foam to water immiscible liquid and some water reactive compounds with boiling points above 15°C for vapor control or fire suppression of land spill or contained spills on water.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For hazard statements, see Section 10.
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Designation:F1129–01
Standard Guide for
Using Aqueous Foams to Control the Vapor Hazard from
1
Immiscible Volatile Liquids
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1129; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Thevaporreleasedbyspillsofvolatilehazardoussubstances(eitherflammableortoxic)canpresent
a significant hazard to life and property in the spill area and for some measurable distance downwind.
Such spills may also cause natural resource damage by penetration into the ground or by movement
into groundwater.
Aqueous foam blankets have been shown to be an effective technique to reduce the hazard arising
from vapor release of volatile chemicals and to reduce the chance of accidental ignition of flammable
liquids. Because they are a common tool of the fire services, they are available early in the spill
response effort. Foams can be used to control spill vapors to extend evacuation time and may offer a
control for the life of the incident.
Effective actions have been demonstrated for a wide variety of chemical classes—volatile organics,
some water reactive inorganics, and certain classes of liquefied gases.
The water reactive compounds and liquefied gases require special considerations peculiar to each
chemical grouping.Although foam solutions are not considered to be dispersants, foam treatment may
enhance the penetration of water soluble materials into the ground, or transport into the groundwater,
or both. Adequate information is not available to generalize on such questions.
1. Scope F726 Test Method for Sorbent Performance of Adsorbents
F1011 Guide for Developing a Hazardous Materials Train-
1.1 Thisguiderestrictsitselftoaddressingtheapplicationof
ing Curriculum for Initial Response Personnel
foam to water immiscible liquid and some water reactive
F1127 Guide for Containment of Hazardous Material Spills
compounds with boiling points above 15°C for vapor control
by Emergency Response Personnel
or fire suppression of land spill or contained spills on water.
F1644 Guide for Health and Safety Training of Oil Spill
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Responders
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
F1656 Guide for Health and Safety Training of Oil Spill
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
Responders in the United States
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
2.2 NFPA Standards:
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For hazard state-
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11–1994, Low Expansion Foam
ments, see Section 10.
3
11A–1994, Medium- and High-Expansion Foam Systems
2. Referenced Documents
3. Terminology
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1 alcohol or polar solvent foam—Thisisonetypeoffoam
F716 Test Methods for Sorbent Performance of Absorbents
that is resistant to destruction by water miscible polar com-
pounds. It is usually termed polar solvent resistant, and
contains a water soluble polymer. When this polymer contacts
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous
a water miscible polar fuel, it gels and forms a membrane
Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
which floats on the fuel and serves as a barrier to protect the
F20.21 on Initial Response Actions.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 2001. Published December 2001. Originally foam from destruction by the fuel. Polar solvent resistant
´1
published as F1129 – 88. Last previous edition F1129 – 88 (1995) . DOI: 10.1520/
foams may be either surfactant– orAFFF– based.They behave
F1129-01.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park,
the ASTM website. Quincy, MA 02269.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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F1129–01
like a conventional foam on hydrocarbons. They may be 4. Significance and Use
applied by nozzle or by any other low expansion foam-making
4.1 This guide is intended as a general guide to the correct
equipment on either hydrocarbons or polar fuels. Alcohol or
use of foams. Specific decisions on when or if foam should be
polar solvent resistant foams produce surface tensions in water
used will depend on the circumstances and conditions of each
ranging from 15 to 50 dyne/cm.
spill situation.
3.2
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