Evaluation of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Commercial Fluorine Free Foams

Abstract

The work herein analyzed and documented the physiochemical properties of commercial PFAS-free foams (PFF) in respect to the Military Specification (Mil-Spec) defined in MIL-PRF-24385F(SH). PFF (by definition) should be free of fluorinated surfactants, but contamination of new stock formulations from legacy fluorinated surfactants is possible due to carry over from manufacturing processes. Physical characteristics such as refractive index, viscosity, and pH were determined; these criteria are considered only as a comparison against the Mil-Spec, but results can be used in ranking candidate PFF when considered collectively with other test results. The change to more environmentally sustainable foam formulations is critical and as such, PFF were evaluated for environmental and health impact using standard comparative metrics. Standardized toxicological determinations included the lethal concentration (LC50) and inhibition concentration (IC25). These values estimate the effect of products on aquatic life, and predict extent that organisms are affected by the presence of new PFF formulations. Similarly, the biodegradability of a product is based on the combined chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) as a measure of environmental impact, and indicates how PFF may stimulate microbial activity in surface- and groundwater systems where chemicals may bioaccumulate. The biodegradation of PFF consumes oxygen, thus competing with aquatic species for the oxygen in the water. Large-scale evaluations of foamability and drain time were also conducted to confirm the candidates would perform their basic function as a firefighting agent. Resistance to corrosion and storage stability is pertinent to practical performance. If the foam product corrodes the internal storage compartments, nozzles, or any part of a firetruck, it would render the firetruck unreliable in an emergency.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2022
Accession Number
AD1172169

Entities

People

  • April Lumley
  • Bridgett Ashley
  • Glenn Johnson
  • Heather R. Luckarift
  • Rashelle Mcdonald
  • Sue Broxson

Organizations

  • Air Force Civil Engineer Center
  • Battelle Memorial Institute

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand
  • Chemical Properties
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Department Of Defense
  • Environment
  • Environmental Protection
  • Fire Extinguishing Agents
  • Fire Fighting
  • Fish
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Measurement
  • Ph Factor
  • Refractive Index
  • Surface Tension
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Methods
  • Toxicity

Readers

  • Fire Suppression Systems Design.
  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Bioremediation