Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials

Rick Houghton, William Bennett

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781000258585
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Environmental Science
• Index: Biological Sciences

Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials, Second Edition is fully updated to serve as a portable reference that can be used in the field and laboratory by workers who are responsible for a safe response to and management of unknown hazardous materials. As with the first edition, the book emphasizes public safety and the management of life safety hazards, including strategies and emerging technologies to identify the hazards presented by an unknown material.

When responding to a hazardous material emergency involving an unknown substance, firefighters and HAZMAT teams are primarily interested in protecting public safety. The book details risk analysis procedures to identify threats and vulnerabilities, analyzing them to determine how such risks can be eliminated or reduced. If an unknown material can be identified with a high degree of confidence, that can considerably change the response, and measures to be taken.

In addition, the book covers practical field applications with updated and additional examples of field instruments. The hazard identification methods presented are intended for use by frontline workers. The test methods presented involve manipulation of small sample amounts – using, literally, a hands-on approach. The three technologies used by first responders and military personnel to identify unknown chemicals, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and high-pressure mass spectroscopy, are covered in depth.

Features

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• Presents how to identify unknown materials and, if identification is not possible, to characterize the hazards of the material

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• Offers practical examples to introduce new first responders to hazardous materials response

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• Provides up-to-date field applications of the latest developments in commercially available instrumentation

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• Details practical sample manipulations to help the reader successfully identify materials with popular high-end instrumentation

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• Includes several examples of spectra and describes ways in which the reader can utilize data to inform decision making

New coverage to this edition includes a chapter and content that focuses on sample manipulation and separations using instruments developed and revised since the first edition was published. These sample manipulations may be performed in the field with a very simple toolkit, which is fully outlined and explained in detail. Identifying the hazards of the unknown substance is essential to plan for response, contingencies and sustained actions. As such, Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials, Second Edition will be a welcome and essential resource to all response and safety professionals concerned with hazardous materials.

1
Terms and Definitions

This chapter reviews the terms and definitions that should be familiar to hazardous material technicians based on recommendations by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and others. These terms are part of the NFPA competencies recommended for emergency responders who must respond to a hazardous material threat and must possess the knowledge and skills needed to safely perform tasks related to the response (Figure 1.1). These recommendations are pertinent to other workers, such as hazardous waste technicians, laboratory technicians, and anyone in need of a rapid laboratory triage process. You should be able to describe the terms listed in Table 1.1 and explain their significance in risk assessment.

Figure 1.1 Common terminology and an understanding of definitions keep everyone on the same page.

Table 1.1 NFPA 472 Technician Competencies: Hazardous Materials Terms and Definitions*

Corrosive (acids and bases/alkaline) Air reactivity Auto refrigeration Biological agents and biological toxins Blood agents Boiling point Catalyst Chemical change Chemical interactions Compound, mixture Concentration Critical temperature and pressure Dissociation (acid/base) Dose Dose response Expansion ratio Fire point Flammable (explosive) range (LEL and UEL) Flashpoint Half-life Halogenated hydrocarbon Ignition (auto ignition) temperature Inhibitor Instability Ionic and covalent compounds Irritants (riot control agents) Maximum safe storage temperature (MSST) Melting point and freezing point Miscibility Nerve agents Organic and inorganic Oxidation potential Persistence pH Physical change Physical state (solid, liquid, gas) Polymerization Radioactivity Reactivity Riot control agents Saturated, unsaturated (straight and branched), and aromatic hydrocarbons Self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT) Solubility Solution and slurry Specific gravity Strength Sublimation Temperature of product Toxic products of combustion Vapor density Vapor pressure Vesicants (blister agents) Viscosity Volatility

*Presentation in text has been altered from NFPA’s alphabetical listing. See the table of contents for text presentation.

The theme of this book is identification of hazardous characteristics present in an unknown material so that you may respond more safely to a threat. This chapter is an overview based on relevance to your needs in the workplace. Utilization of safe work practices while identifying hazards will protect you and others from these yet unidentified hazards. In order to work safely, you must have the knowledge and skills necessary to do so.

This chapter is divided into three main sections: physical terms, chemical terms, and then weapons of mass destruction (WMD) terms. These definitions will help you to understand the terms both individually and as they relate to each other for the purpose of identifying and understanding hazardous characteristics of unknown substances. The intent is not necessarily to rigidly define each as a physical, chemical, or WMD term. All of the NFPA terms and definitions are covered in this chapter, but the material has been altered from the alphabetical list in order to clarify the presentation (Table 1.1).

Physical Terms and Definitions

Physical State

The physical state of the unknown ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Authors
• Introduction
• 1 Terms and Definitions
• 2 Hazards
• 3 Detection Technology
• 4 Strategies
• 5 Techniques
• Index