[en] Response of several particulate monitoring instruments to aerosols which might be encountered during monitoring of an in situ oil spill burn, was examined. The aerosols included road dust, salt and particulates from the combustion of heptane, diesel fuel and crude oil. Total suspended particulates, 10 micron and 2.5 micron sampling heads were used with each instrument. Two optical cell instruments reported similar concentrations as reported by gravimetric instruments in the case of burning heptane, diesel fuel and crude oil. For salt and road dust aerosols, two optical cells reported much lower values than those measured by gravimetric instruments. The differences were attributed to salt and road dust aerosols having different size distributions. These differences, however, can be minimized by careful calibration. Results indicate that with careful calibration any of the instruments tested can be used as a monitoring tool to help response teams to assess whether in situ burning is leading to an increase in airborne particulates above an acceptable level. 8 refs., 7 tabs., 24 figs

[en] A study was conducted to examine some of the factors necessary to assess the environmental impact of an in-situ burn of an oil spill on water. These factors include the fraction of an oil layer which can be burned, the quantity of smoke emitted, and the concentrations of 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the smoke, crude oil, and burn residue. Alberta sweet mixed blend crude in 1, 3, 5, 10, and 30 mm layers on water was burned in the laboratory and smoke samples were collected at elevated and ambient temperatures and analyzed by two independent laboratories. While burning the crude oil produced less total PAHs than was in the original crude, the concentrations of PAHs with 5 or more rings were 10-20 times greater in the smoke than in the oil. The organic carbon fraction of the smoke was in the 14-21% range. As the fuel layer thickness was increased from 2 to 10 mm, the smoke yield increased from 0.035 g smoke/g fuel and the percentage of oil residue decreased from 46% to 17%. By consuming much of the oil spill and reducing the amount of PAHs in the water, and by dispersing the combustion products over a larger area, in-situ burning can mitigate the local environmental impact of an oil spill. There appears to be a range of situations, such as in Arctic ice fields, where in-situ burning might be the most viable cleanup method. 25 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs

[en] The second series of fire tests for fire-resistant containment booms were conducted in a wave tank at the U.S. Coast Guard Fire and Safety Test Detachment in Mobile, Alabama, utilizing ASTM F-20 draft standards. Six different fire-resistant containment booms were used. Three of the six were modified designs of booms used in the first series of tests. The tests in this series were designed to address issues raised in the first series, namely the location of heat fluxes and thermocouples, and the protocol for water-cooled booms. The results of the second series of tests are discussed and compared to the first. Strengths and weaknesses of the test protocol and other possible improvements are also discussed. 5 refs., 5 tabs., 7 figs