ASTM_F_1279_-_08_2014.pdf

Designation:F127908(Reapproved 2014)Standard Guide forEcological Considerations for the Restriction of the Use ofSurface Washing Agents:Permeable Land Surfaces1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1279;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers the use of surface washing agents toassist in the control of oil spills.The guide is written with thegoal of minimizing the environmental impacts of oil spills;thisgoal is the basis on which the recommendations are made.Aesthetic and socioeconomic factors are not considered al-though these and other factors are often important in spillresponse.1.2 In making surface washing agent use decisions,appro-priate government authorities should be consulted as requiredby law.1.3 Spill responders have available several means to controlor clean up spilled oil.In this guide,the use of chemical surfacewashing agents is considered.1.4 This guide applies only to permeable land surfaces.1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F1280 Guide for Ecological Considerations for the Use ofSurface Washing Agents:Impermeable SurfacesF1872 Guide for Use of Chemical Shoreline CleaningAgents:Environmental and Operational Considerations3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 permeabilitythe capacity of the surface to conductor transmit liquids such as water.An impermeable surfacewould not transmit water in a short time(minutes).3.1.2 surfacethe top or cover of the land at the site ofinterest3.1.3 surface washing agentsa chemical agent used toloosen or remove oil from a surface such as land.Surfacewashing agents are not dispersants and should not be used asdispersants4.Significance and Use4.1This guide is meant to aid local and regional responseteams who may use it during spill response planning and spillevents.4.2 This guide should be adapted to site-specific circum-stances.5.Environment CoveredPermeable Surfaces5.1 Permeable ground includes any soil,rock,agriculturalland and forest,pasture land,roadside or other surfaces,thatare permeable to water and oil.6.Background6.1 On permeable surfaces,the main concern is the penetra-tion of the oil downwards and the possibility of soil andgroundwater contamination(1,2).3Efforts are generally fo-cused on removing liquid oil rapidly and preventing furtheraerial and downward contamination in the soil and to thegroundwater(3).(See Guide F1280.)6.2 The effects of oil and especially that of treated oil onterrestrial biota have been studied.In one study,oil spilled onsoil decreased the nematode(worm)population by as much as80%(4).Lai Hoi-Chaw and co-workers show that a littornidgastropod(snail)showed avoidance to oil spilled on the mud ofa mangrove swamp(5).This avoidance decreased the mortality1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on HazardousSubstances and Oil Spill Responseand is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeF20.13 on Treatment.Current edition approved March 1,2014.Published March 2014.Originallyapproved in 1990.Last previous edition approved in 2008 as F1279 08.DOI:10.1520/F1279-08R14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end ofthis guide.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 of the species to both oil and chemically-dispersed oil.McGillhas noted that soil arthropods(insects)are quickly killed afterspills(6).6.3 Oil has a broad-spectrum herbicidal effect on plants(7,8).Effects vary depending on concentration and on species.Oilin low concentrations has been shown to increase growth insome species,whereas slight contact with oil causes death inothers(7).Black spruce,alfalfa,and canola have a lowtolerance for oil,while willow,dogwood,and brome grasshave a high tolerance(8).Light oils may be toxic to vegetationon contact.Heavy oils have a tendency to smother plants overa longer period of time(6).Oiling of the vegetative portionsmay kill the upper portion of the plant,but the root may stilllive and proceed to grow new stalks(6).In one test,0.4 to 3.4L/m2of a light crude oil killed most plants in a northern bo