ASTM F1209-89(2007)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Ecological Considerations for the Use of Oilspill Dispersants in Freshwater and Other Inland Environments, Ponds and Sloughs
Standard Guide for Ecological Considerations for the Use of Oilspill Dispersants in Freshwater and Other Inland Environments, Ponds and Sloughs
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the use of oilspill dispersants to assist in the control of oil spills. The guide is written with the goal of minimizing the environmental impacts of oil spills; this goal is the basis on which the recommendations are made. Aesthetic and socio-economic factors are not considered, although these and other factors are often important in spill response.
1.2 Spill responders have available several means to control or clean-up spilled oil. In this guide, the use of dispersants is given equal consideration with other spill countermeasures. It is not considered as a "last resort" after all other methods have failed.
1.3 This is a general guide only. It assumes the oil to be dispersible and the dispersant to be effective, available, applied correctly, and in compliance with relevant government regulations. In the assessment of environmental sensitivity, it is assumed that the dispersant is nonpersistent in the natural environment. Oil, as used in this guide, includes crude oils and refined petroleum products. Differences between individual dispersants or between different oil products are not considered.
1.4 The guide is organized by habitat type, for example, small ponds and lakes, rivers and streams, and land. It considers the use of dispersants primarily to protect habitats from impact (or to minimize impacts) and to clean them after a spill takes place.
1.5 This guide applies only to freshwater and other inland environments. It does not consider the direct application of dispersants to subsurface waters.
1.6 In making dispersant use decisions, appropriate government authorities should be consulted as required by law.
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Designation:F1209–89(Reapproved 2007)
Standard Guide for
Ecological Considerations for the Use of Oilspill
Dispersants in Freshwater and Other Inland Environments,
Ponds and Sloughs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1209; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Significance and Use
1.1 This guide covers the use of oilspill dispersants to assist 2.1 This guide is meant to aid local and regional response
in the control of oil spills. The guide is written with the goal of teams who may use it during spill response planning and spill
minimizing the environmental impacts of oil spills; this goal is events.
the basis on which the recommendations are made. Aesthetic 2.2 This guide should be adapted to site specific circum-
and socio-economic factors are not considered, although these stance.
and other factors are often important in spill response.
3. Environment Covered—Ponds and Sloughs
1.2 Spill responders have available several means to control
3.1 Ponds and sloughs are small isolated water bodies that
or clean-up spilled oil. In this guide, the use of dispersants is
given equal consideration with other spill countermeasures. It are not part of major water systems. They have a dynamic
ecology, and a wide mixture of animal and plant species. In
is not considered as a “last resort” after all other methods have
failed. northern regions, these water bodies may freeze to the bottom
and do not sustain a wide variety of aquatic species.
1.3 This is a general guide only. It assumes the oil to be
dispersible and the dispersant to be effective, available, applied 3.2 While most of these bodies are naturally occurring and
exist throughout the year, some may be man-made. In arid
correctly, and in compliance with relevant government regula-
tions. In the assessment of environmental sensitivity, it is climates, the existence of these bodies may be seasonal.
3.3 The characteristics of these water bodies are:
assumed that the dispersant is nonpersistent in the natural
environment. Oil, as used in this guide, includes crude oils and 3.3.1 Open water area of less than 10 hectares,
3.3.2 Shallow water with a maximum depth of 1 to 1.5 m,
refined petroleum products. Differences between individual
dispersants or between different oil products are not consid- 3.3.3 Soft bottom with a high organic content,
ered. 3.3.4 May have alkaline or acidic water,
3.3.5 No well defined inlet or outlet, and
1.4 The guide is organized by habitat type, for example,
small ponds and lakes, rivers and streams, and land. It 3.3.6 Poorly defined shoreline consisting of floating mats of
vegetation.
considers the use of dispersants primarily to protect habitats
from impact (or to minimize impacts) and to clean them after
4. Background
a spill takes place.
4.1 The effects of oil and dispersed oil on these aquatic
1.5 This guide applies only to freshwater and other inland
environments have been the subject of numerous studies. The
environments. It does not consider the direct application of
studies have involved both intentional experimental spills and
dispersants to subsurface waters.
studies undertaken during actual spill situations (1-5).
1.6 In making dispersant use decisions, appropriate govern-
4.2 Therehavebeenanumberofstudiesontheimpactofoil
ment authorities should be consulted as required by law.
and oil/dispersant mixtures on microbiological systems (6-15).
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4.3 The principal biotic components of such water bodies
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
are a variety of fauna and flora. The aquatic flora include
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
bacteria, algae, (planktonic and attached), and floating or
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
submerged vascular plants. Terrestrial flora include grasses,
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
moss, lichens, herbs, forbs, and woody plants.
4.4 The fauna include invertebrates, (zooplankton, mol-
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on Hazardous luscs, crustaceans, worms, and other similar species), fish, a
Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
F20.13 on Treatment.
Current edition approved Nov. 15, 2007. Published November 2007. Originally The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
approved in 1989. Last previous edition approved in 1999 as F 1209 – 89 (1999). this guide.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F1209–89 (2007)
variety of waterfowl, (ducks, loons, gulls, terns, and herons), in most cases. However foliar damage may increase the plant’s
mammals, such as beaver and muskrat, and in many areas, susceptibility to pathogens.
significant human activity. The distribution and composition of 4.11 Field studies on the effects of the direct spraying of
species is a function of climate, local geography and soil type, plants with dispersants indicated that the short term effect of
and human use of the area (16). dispersants to individual plants was less than that incurred
4.5 Studies of the effects of oil on vegetation include through natural causes. No long term effects were found and
laboratory work on the effects on willows, moss, lichen, black seasonal growth was not affected.
spruce, and sedge.These studies showed that the pouring of oil 4.12 Studies of the effects of dispersants and dispersed oil
directly on the vegetation was lethal to willow and moss, and onthemicrobiologicalcommunityshowthatthecharacteristics
caused some nonpermanent damage to the other species of the dispersant are critical. The dispersant should have no
(17-26). effect on the biodegradation of the oil. This is true of many
4.6 Floating leaves are wetted and penetrated by oil from currently used dispersants.The dispersant itself should have no
slicks while younger leaves whose cuticles are intact are more residues or components toxic to microbes or microbial pro-
resistant to penetration by oil. Penetration occurs most readily cesses.
in areas where there is damage to the leaf caused by insects or
5. General Considerations for Making Dispersant Use
mechanical abrasion.
Decisions
4.7 Oil is retained in areas of dense vegetation and is
released slowly. Dispersants applied soon after a spill appear to 5.1 The dispersant use decision is, in this case as most
speed the movement of the slick through the vegetation if there others, one of trade-offs. The use of dispersants can reduce the
is some water movement. Only the oil that contacts the leaves adverse effects of spilled oil on certain biological species at the
causes some damage. Leaves and stems that are subsurface are expense of other components of the ecosystem.
notdamagedbythepresenceofoil.Oilslicksthatarerestricted 5.2 In most cases the mortality of individual creatures is of
to contact of the stem areas near the water surface are not very less concern than the destruction of habitat. The repopulation
injurious. of areas after the spill will occur naturally when an area
4.8 Field studies in northern environments have shown little becomes a suitable habitat for a given species.
long term effects of spilled oil. There have been few studies on
6. Recommendations
the effects of dispersed oil in these environments.
4.9 Although oil may cause extensive damage to vegetation 6.1 Dispersantuseinpondsandsloughs,andtheirbordering
growing in low lying wetlands and shorelines of bog lakes, vegetation, should be considered if a spill poses a significant
plants that grow from rhizomes or healthy portions of aerial threat to
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