ASTM F1279-08(2014)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: F1279 − 08 (Reapproved 2014)
Standard Guide for
Ecological Considerations for the Restriction of the Use of
Surface Washing Agents: Permeable Land Surfaces
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1279; 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.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
1.1 This guide covers the use of surface washing agents to
assist in the control of oil spills. The guide is written with the 3.1.1 permeability—the capacity of the surface to conduct
or transmit liquids such as water. An impermeable surface
goal of minimizing the environmental impacts of oil spills; this
goal is the basis on which the recommendations are made. would not transmit water in a short time (minutes).
Aesthetic and socioeconomic factors are not considered al-
3.1.2 surface—the top or cover of the land at the site of
though these and other factors are often important in spill
interest
response.
3.1.3 surface washing agents—a chemical agent used to
1.2 In making surface washing agent use decisions, appro-
loosen or remove oil from a surface such as land. Surface
priate government authorities should be consulted as required
washing agents are not dispersants and should not be used as
by law.
dispersants
1.3 Spill responders have available several means to control
4. Significance and Use
orcleanupspilledoil.Inthisguide,theuseofchemicalsurface
washing agents is considered. 4.1 This guide is meant to aid local and regional response
teams who may use it during spill response planning and spill
1.4 This guide applies only to permeable land surfaces.
events.
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
4.2 This guide should be adapted to site-specific circum-
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
stances.
standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
5. Environment Covered—Permeable Surfaces
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
5.1 Permeable ground includes any soil, rock, agricultural
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
land and forest, pasture land, roadside or other surfaces, that
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
are permeable to water and oil.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
6. Background
2. Referenced Documents
6.1 On permeable surfaces, the main concern is the penetra-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
tion of the oil downwards and the possibility of soil and
F1280 Guide for Ecological Considerations for the Use of 3
groundwater contamination (1, 2). Efforts are generally fo-
Surface Washing Agents: Impermeable Surfaces
cused on removing liquid oil rapidly and preventing further
F1872 Guide for Use of Chemical Shoreline Cleaning
aerial and downward contamination in the soil and to the
Agents: Environmental and Operational Considerations
groundwater (3). (See Guide F1280.)
6.2 The effects of oil and especially that of treated oil on
terrestrial biota have been studied. In one study, oil spilled on
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous
soil decreased the nematode (worm) population by as much as
Substances and Oil Spill Responseand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
80 % (4). Lai Hoi-Chaw and co-workers show that a littornid
F20.13 on Treatment.
Current edition approved March 1, 2014. Published March 2014. Originally gastropod(snail)showedavoidancetooilspilledonthemudof
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as F1279 – 08. DOI:
amangroveswamp (5).Thisavoidancedecreasedthemortality
10.1520/F1279-08R14.
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
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
the ASTM website. this guide.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F1279 − 08 (2014)
of the species to both oil and chemically-dispersed oil. McGill 6.6 Microbial degradation of oil occurs primarily at the soil
has noted that soil arthropods (insects) are quickly killed after surface (4, 7, 15). One study showed that below 15 cm there
spills (6). was little degradation (15). Degradation occurs primarily at the
surface due to oxgyen, low but sufficient moisture, supply of
6.3 Oil has a broad-spectrum herbicidal effect on plants (7,
nutrients, and because the occurrence of the great number of
8).Effectsvarydependingonconcentrationandonspecies.Oil
oleoclasts (4).
in low concentrations has been shown to increase growth in
some species, whereas slight contact with oil causes death in 6.7 Contamination of surface water and groundwater is of
others (7). Black spruce, alfalfa, and canola have a low prime concern in land spills. Little oil degradation takes place
tolerance for oil, while willow, dogwood, and brome grass in groundwater and dilution alone would take many years to
have a high tolerance (8). Light oils may be toxic to vegetation allow use of a groundwater supply contaminated by an oil spill
on contact. Heavy oils have a tendency to smother plants over (4, 16). One study estimated that 120 to 750 years of rainfall
a longer period of time (6). Oiling of the vegetative portions dilution alone would be required so that the supply could be
may kill the upper portion of the plant, but the root may still usedforhumanconsumption (16).Ontheotherhand,inakarst
live and proceed to grow new stalks (6). In one test, 0.4 to 3.4 environment, flow to groundwater could do more significant
L/m of a light crude oil killed most plants in a northern boreal damage. Movement of contaminated groundwater can result in
setting (9). In another experiment, light fuel oil at 0.6 % by broad contamination of the subsurface.
weight killed all plants present (10). Oil reduces the germina-
6.8 Several biological remediation techniques have been
tionrateofseeds.Weatheredoilonthesoilformsacrustwhich
demonstrated for oiled soils (4, 6, 8, 17, 18). Most of these
can slow revegetation (6). Revegetation time varies but has
techniques involve aeration, addition of fertilizer, and planting
ranged from 1 to 20 years depending on location and spill
of cover crops. These techniques are well-documented and
conditions (amount, oil type, time of year) (4, 6).
have been effective in restoring agricultural land to full
production in as little as five years. No scientific evidence is
6.4 Oil spilled on ground will penetrate the surface, the rate
available to show that surface washing agents have a useful
of penetration depending on soil type, pore size, depth of the
role in these remediation techniques.
water table, and oil type. Surface washing agents increase the
penetration rate and depth (11, 12). Dewling and Silva exam-
6.9 Several spills on permeable land have been dealt with
ined the use of surface washing agents in Brazil and deter-
successfully using mechanical removal, in-situ burning and
mined that the average penetration of oil was increased from 5
other remediation techniques (1, 19, 20, 21).
to 60 cm by the use of hydrocarbon-based surface washing
6.10 Studies of the toxicity of natural products such as
agents (13).
d-limonene, from citrus peels, reveals that many of these have
6.5 Oil degradation takes place on soil surfaces under many
high aquatic toxicities, while showing little huma
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