- Author
- Hertzberg, T. | Blomqvist, P. | Dalene, M. | Skarping, G.
- Title
- Particles and Isocyanates From Fires.
- Coporate
- SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Boras, Sweden
- Report
- SP Report 2003:05; Brandforsk Project 324-021, 2003, 50 p.
- Distribution
- FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Box 857, SE-501 15 BORAS, Sweden. Telephone: +46 33 16 50 00, Fax: +46 33 13 55 02, Email: info@sp.se Website: http://www.sp.se/eng/default.htm
- Keywords
- isocyanates | particles | composite materials | experiments | cone calorimeters | couches | mattresses
- Identifiers
- carbon fiber; Single Burning Item (SBI); tubular furnace tests
- Abstract
- The capacity for generation of particles and/or isocyanates as a result of combustion is presented in this report for 24 different building materials or products. Other gaseous compounds (e.g. HCI, HCN, S02' etc.) were also measured in the produced smoke. In addition to the standard building materials, a carbon fibre based composite material was tested in order to investigate if particles resembling asbestos could be generated. The majority of the experiments were performed at small-scale in the Cone calorimeter (ISO 5660) but some data were also collected at an intermediate scale (SBI method, EN13823, at full scale (Room-Comer, ISO 9705) or in other larger scale experiment. In' the latter, personnel involved in the experiments were tested for isocyanate metabolites in order to estimate exposure hazards. The amount and particle size distribution of the particles was measured by the use of a low pressure impactor that could differentiate between particles with an aerodynamic diameter from -30 nanometer up to 10 micrometer. The isocyanates were collected both from the gas phase and from part of the respirable particle phase by means of an impinger bottle and a filter. Subsequently the isocyanate was quantified using LC-MS technology. Other gaseous compounds were measured using an FTIR instrument. The results from the project show that the yield of particles generated varies significantly for different materials but that the shape of mass and number size distributions are very similar for all the materials tested. The maximum amount of particles was obtained from building materials that did not bum well (e.g. flame retarded materials). Materials that bum well, e.g. wood materials, tend to oxidise all available combustibles and thereby, minimises the amount of particles in the smoke gas. The results for isocyanates indicate that it is possible to find fire scenarios where the greatest danger from the gases produced in the fire is actually related to their isocyanates content. The results also show that the isocyanate content should be included when estimating the overall hazard from fire smoke. As the data produced is unique in this area and covers a restricted set of building products, more data should be produced before final conclusions can be drawn.