Use of special mobile devices to identify hazardous substances on the incident site

Postęp cywilizacji prowadzi często do powstawania zagrożeń związanych z wyciekiem substancji niebezpiecznych. W celu zabezpieczenia miejsca zdarzenia angażowana jest Państwowa Straż Pożarna. Ratownicy przybywający na miejsce zdarzenia nie mają świadomości, z jaką substancją mają do czynienia. Z tego względu bardzo ważny jest aspekt identyfikacji nieznanych substancji zarówno pod względem jakościowym, jak i ilościowym. Celem niniejszych badań była ocena możliwości wykorzystania dwóch mobilnych urządzeń analitycznych stosowanych przez Państwową Straż Pożarną do identyfikacji wybranych substancji niebezpiecznych. W warunkach laboratoryjnych przygotowano cztery substancje, czyli alkohol metylowy, amoniak, epichlorohydrynę oraz proszek czyszczący, które następnie identyfikowano przy pomocy dwóch mobilnych urządzeń analitycznych − StreetLab Mobile i Mobile IR, które to urządzenia wykorzystują odpowiednio spektroskopię Ramana i podczerwień (IR). W przypadku alkoholu metylowego oraz epichlorohydryny oba urządzenia wykryły analizowaną substancję. W przypadku amoniaku, a także proszku czyszczącego, żadne z zastosowanych urządzeń nie wykryło analizowanej substancji. Urządzenie StreetLab w przypadku amoniaku wykrył kwas 4-hydroksyfenoksyoctowy. Zaobserwowano, iż w przypadku wysokiego rozcieńczenia próbek brak jest możliwości ich identyfikacji, co było pokazane na przykładzie 25% roztworu amoniaku do wody.The progress of civilization often leads to incidences of leakage of dangerous substances which involve the State Fire Service to secure the incident site. However, rescuers arriving at the spot are unaware of what substance was splatted. For this reason, it is important to identify the unknown substance both qualitatively and quantitatively. The aim of the research was to assess the possibility of using two mobile analytical devices used by the State Fire Service to identify selected hazardous substances. In the laboratory conditions 4 substances were prepared, i.e. methyl alcohol, ammonia, epichlorohydrin, cleaning powder, which were then identified with two mobile devices, i.e. StreetLab Mobile and Mobile IR, which use the Raman spectroscopy and the infrared (IR). In case of methyl alcohol and epichlorohydrin, both devices detected the substance. In case of ammonia, as well as in the cleaning powder, none of the tested devices detected them. What is more, the StreetLab detected 4-hydroxyphenoxyacetic acid instead of ammonia. Both devices, which use the phenomenon of the Raman spectroscopy and the infrared IR, are used to analyze unknown compounds in chemical and ecological rescue in the State Fire Service. It was observed that in case of high dilution of samples both devices were not able to identify the tested substance or the results were incorrect. Moreover, the lack of detection of high-dilution samples was observed, as exemplified by the comparison of 25% solution of ammonia to water

Analysis of sorption of vehicle liquids with sand that appear after car accidents reproduced in laboratory scale

Introduction: Increasing number of vehicles corelates with an increase in car accidents’ risk which pose a threat of environment contamination. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyze the sorption process for two vehicle fluids contacted with sand. Methods and findings: Sorption process was analyzed with the use of dedicated experimental set-up in the laboratory scale. Contact of sand (50cm3) with 100cm3 of two sorbates (brake fluid-BF and diesel-D) with the following properties: pure BF, pure D, 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 0.5-BF and 0.5-D, 0.25-BF and 0.75-D were investigated. Finally, non-linear regression for the mathematical description of sorption process was prepared. The results indicated that the higher amount of D in mixture the higher absorption of sorbate by sand. Moreover, the highest sorption was recorded for pure BF and the lowest for the mixture of equal amount of BF and D. Furthermore, analysis of absorbed mixtures volume indicated that for the composition of 0.25-BF and 0.75-D, 29ml of liquid was absorbed. While, for the equal amount of brake fluid and diesel 30ml of liquid was absorbed. Finally, for the composition of 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 27ml of liquid was absorbed

Analysis of sorption of vehicle liquids with sand that appear after car accidents reproduced in laboratory scale

Introduction: Increasing number of vehicles corelates with an increase in car accidents’ risk which pose a threat of environment contamination. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyze the sorption process for two vehicle fluids contacted with sand. Methods and findings: Sorption process was analyzed with the use of dedicated experimental set-up in the laboratory scale. Contact of sand (50cm3) with 100cm3 of two sorbates (brake fluid-BF and diesel-D) with the following properties: pure BF, pure D, 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 0.5-BF and 0.5-D, 0.25-BF and 0.75-D were investigated. Finally, non-linear regression for the mathematical description of sorption process was prepared. The results indicated that the higher amount of D in mixture the higher absorption of sorbate by sand. Moreover, the highest sorption was recorded for pure BF and the lowest for the mixture of equal amount of BF and D. Furthermore, analysis of absorbed mixtures volume indicated that for the composition of 0.25-BF and 0.75-D, 29ml of liquid was absorbed. While, for the equal amount of brake fluid and diesel 30ml of liquid was absorbed. Finally, for the composition of 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 27ml of liquid was absorbed

Hazards associated with leachate after landfill closure

W złożu odpadów na składowisku − w wyniku procesów biologicznych, chemicznych i fizycznych − powstaje wiele szkodliwych związków. Wody opadowe infiltrujące złoże składowanych odpadów powodują powstawanie odcieków, które zawierają substancje niebezpieczne. W przypadku źle zaprojektowanych składowisk, wodami, które wypłukują te substancje z hałdy odpadów, mogą być wody powierzchniowe lub gruntowe opływające dany obiekt. Odcieki nie przestają powstawać również po zakończeniu eksploatacji składowiska. Dlatego w każdym z takich obiektów prowadzony jest dokładny monitoring, między innymi składu ilościowego i jakościowego powstających odcieków. W artykule przedstawiono analizę ilościową i jakościową odcieków ze składowiska Łubna, po kilku latach od jego zamknięcia. Celem badań było wskazanie zagrożeń związanych z możliwością przedostania się ich przez ekrany przeciwfiltracyjne do gleby i wód gruntowych.In a waste deposit on a landfill, through biological and chemical processes and many harmful compounds are formed. Rainwater infiltrating this bed causes leachates that contain this hazardous substances. In the case of poorly designed landfills, waters that flush hazardous substances from the waste heap may be surface or ground water flowing around the landfill. Leachate do not cease after the ending of the landfill. Therefore, each landfill closely monitors, among other things, the quantitative and qualitative composition of the leachate produced, even after the ending of the landfill. The article presents the quantitative and qualitative analysis of leachate from the Łubna landfill after several years after its closure, at the same time indicating the risks associated with the possibility of their penetration through the anti-filtration screens to the soil and groundwater

Hazards related to suspended dust in the area adjacent to a closed municipal waste landfill

Zamknięcie składowiska odpadów komunalnych nie rozwiązuje problemu jego obecności i nie zapobiega wszystkim zagrożeniom z nim związanym. Do zagrożeń tych należy pył zawieszony, emitowany przez wiele lat eksploatacji składowiska oraz deponowany na terenach sąsiadujących bezpośrednio z nim, przede wszystkim na obszarze zielonego pasa bezpieczeństwa, oddzielającego składowisko od terenów zamieszkałych. Pomiary pyłu zawieszonego, których wyniki zaprezentowano w artykule, prowadzono dwoma trasami równoległymi do siebie, poczynając od dwóch sąsiadujących studzienek z odciekami. Były to dwie pierwsze studnie, poczynając od drogi dojazdowej. Wyniki badań wykazały przekroczenia stężenia pyłu, co wiąże się z krótkim okresem poeksploatacyjnym, sąsiedztwem drogi dojazdowej, a także unoszeniem zdeponowanego pyłu podczas badań.The closure of a municipal waste landfill does not solve and does not prevent all hazards associated with its presence. These hazards include suspended dust emitted by many years of operation of the repository and deposited in the areas adjacent to it directly as a green belt separating the landfill from the inhabited areas. The measurements of particulate matter were carried out with two parallel routes, starting from two neighboring wells with leachate, the first starting from the access road. The test results showed exceedances of the dust concentration which is associated with a short period after closed landfill , the proximity of the access road, as well as the lifting of the deposited dust during the tests

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the firefighter workplace: The results from the first in Poland short-term measuring campaign

The results of investigations into 15 ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at two Polish fire stations belonging to the National Fire Service are presented. At each station, on five different days, hydrocarbons were sampled simultaneously in the changing room, garage, and exterior of the station (in the atmospheric air). The indoor and outdoor diagnostic ratios and benzo(a)pyrene carcinogenicity equivalents were computed from the measured concentrations. The former indicated the combustion of various materials and fuels as the hydrocarbons source, the latter expressed the cumulative carcinogenic hazard from the hydrocarbon mixture. Naphthalene and acenaphthene had the greatest ambient concentrations at each site. The greatest summary concentrations of the 15 hydrocarbons occurred in the changing rooms

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the firefighter workplace: The results from the first in Poland short-term measuring campaign

The results of investigations into 15 ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at two Polish fire stations belonging to the National Fire Service are presented. At each station, on five different days, hydrocarbons were sampled simultaneously in the changing room, garage, and exterior of the station (in the atmospheric air). The indoor and outdoor diagnostic ratios and benzo(a)pyrene carcinogenicity equivalents were computed from the measured concentrations. The former indicated the combustion of various materials and fuels as the hydrocarbons source, the latter expressed the cumulative carcinogenic hazard from the hydrocarbon mixture. Naphthalene and acenaphthene had the greatest ambient concentrations at each site. The greatest summary concentrations of the 15 hydrocarbons occurred in the changing rooms

The effectiveness of selected decontamination techniques in the process of decontamination of chemical protection suits used by chemical rescue units in Fire Service

The paper presents research of the process of decontamination of chemical protection suits. The results of the research show the effectiveness of selected decontamination techniques. In experiments took into account the influence of the contaminant, the time of decontamination, the type of the decontamination agent and the use of mechanical support in removing the contaminant. The research has shown how to minimize the negative action of hazardous substances on protective clothing and show the problem of the possibility of secondary contamination. They demonstrate the impact of each factors on the quality of decontamination and showed that small changes in the process of decontamination significantly affect the safety of the rescuer. The key to effective decontamination is the synergy effect of the studied parameters. This approach will allow efficient and effective execution of the decontamination process, minimize the risk of contact between rescuers and the contaminant and prevent secondary contamination