Abstract
AbstractThe spread of aquatic invasive species during wildland firefighting activities is a concern when water sources and equipment are transported across watersheds or into pristine areas. In the present study, we investigated the capability of wildland firefighting foams to inactivate organisms in bench-scale laboratory experiments. Specifically, Escherichia coli and coliphage ΦX174 were used to test the disinfection potential of foams against bacteria and virus species as an indicator of their efficacy against more resistant organisms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service firefighting foams tested in this study did not inactivate E. coli or coliphage during maximum exposure conditions that are feasible during firefighting activities, i.e., 10% (v:v) mix ratio and a 60-min contact time. We did not examine whether firefighting foams were effective at displacing bacterial and viral organisms when used solely as a surfactant on solid surfaces. We conclude that fire retardant foams are not eff...
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