FLUOROSURFACTANTS IN FOAMS – BENEFIT OR RISK FOR FIRE FIGHTERS AND ENVIRONMENT

SAŽETAK: Zbog PBT (perzistentnost, bioakumulacija i toksičnost) obilježja perfluoroktan sulfonata (PFOS), 3M je koncem 2002. godine potpuno obustavio proizvodnju fluorotenzida s PFOS-ima, a EU je u prosincu 2006. prihvatila Direktivu 2006/122/EC kojom se bitno ograničava/zabranjuje uporaba PFOS-a u gotovo svim proizvodima, pa i u vatrogasnim pjenilima. Analiziraju se razlozi i opseg prisutnosti fluorotenzida u pjenilima i okolišu, te pokazatelji njihove toksičnosti. Umjesto pjenila s PFOS-ima, danas se proizvode pjenila s fluorotelomerima, pjenila bez fluorotelomera (3F pjenila) i vježbovna (TF) pjenila. Na osnovi kratkotrajne i dugotrajne toksičnosti analiziraju se štete na okolišu izazvane različitim pjenilima, metode za smanjivanje utjecaja na okoliš, kao i karakteristike suvremenih pjenila u ovisnosti o njihovom kemijskom sastavu. Temeljem novih europskih direktiva o PFOS-ima i podzemnim vodama daju se prijedlozi i preporuke za nove, ekološki prihvatljivije, postupke za prevenciju i gašenje požara primjenom vatrogasnih pjena, u ovisnosti o njihovom kemijskom sastavu i učinkovitosti.Because of the PBT (persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity) profile of PFOS, 3M totally suspended production of PFOS based fluorochemicals in December 2002 and EU adopted Directive 2006/122/EC in December 2006, which greatly restricts/bans further use of PFOS in great majority of products, including firefighting foams. Causes and scope of fluorosurfactant use in foams, as well as the indicators of their toxicity in the natural environmental have been analysed in this paper. Instead of PFOS based foams, fluorotelomer based foams, foams without fluorotelomers (3F) and training foams (TF) are being manufactured today. An analysis of the environmental impact, methods for decreasing environmental pollution and the characteristics and performance of modern firefighting foams in relation to their chemical formulation, as well as short and long term toxicity, have been presented. Detailed proposals and recommendations for new procedures of environmentally responsible foam fire prevention and suppression based on new European Directives on PFOS and Groundwater have been enclosed and related to chemical composition and efficiency of various foams