Chemical Fume Suppressants
Rule 1469(f) requires the owner or operator of a chromium electroplating or chromic acid anodizing tank currently using a wetting agent chemical fume suppressant to use a South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) certified chemical fume suppressant.
Certification requires that the fume suppressant be able to reduce or suppress hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) emissions at the surface of an electroplating or anodizing bath through the reduction of surface tension of the bath to a level at which an emission factor of 0.01 milligrams of Cr+6/ampere-hour is achieved. Chemical fume suppressants containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) shall not be added to anodizing/chrome plating tanks after September 21, 2016.
The following two tables list the certified non-PFOS chemical fume suppressants that have been tested and certified by South Coast AQMD and
California Air Resources Board (CARB) to meet an emission limitation of 0.01 milligrams of Cr+6/ampere-hour of applied current at the stated surface tension.
Non-PFOS Chemical Fume Suppressants
Hard Chrome Plating
|
Company
|
Product
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Stalagmometer Measured Surface Tension (dynes/cm)
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Tensiometer Measured Surface Tension (dynes/cm)
|
Contact Name
|
Telephone
|
|
Atotech USA
|
Fumetrol 21 LF2
|
< 30
|
< 27
|
Caleb J. Morrison
|
800-443-9746
|
|
Hunter Chemical LLC
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HCA-8.4
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<33
|
<30
|
Ben Brock
|
215-461-1900 ext. 208
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Non-PFOS Chemical Fume Suppressants Chromic Acid Anodizing/Decorative Chrome Plating
|
Company
|
Product
|
Stalagmometer Measured Surface Tension (dynes/cm)
|
Tensiometer Measured Surface Tension (dynes/cm)
|
Contact Name
|
Telephone
|
|
Hunter Chemical LLC
|
HCA-8.4
|
< 25
|
< 22
|
Ben Brock
|
215-461-1900 ext. 208
|
|
MacDermid Enthone
|
Macuplex STR NPFX
|
< 32
|
< 30
|
Chrissy Pullara
|
203-278-6783
|
|
ProCom LLC*
|
Dicolloy CRPF*
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< 32
|
< 29
|
Gerald Durham
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(888) 816-5733
|
*Procom LLC does not recommend this product for use with chromic acid anodizing.
This list will be updated periodically when new products are certified by South Coast AQMD and CARB to meet the rule limit. Contact Bill Welch of South Coast AQMD at 909-396-2243 and/or Michelle Komlenic at 916-322-3926 for more information on product testing and certification.
The operator shall follow all pertinent instructions and/or recommendations specified by the chemical fume suppressant manufacturer, including but not limited to periodic addition of fume suppressant. We recommend the operator conduct frequent periodic surface tension measurements while familiarizing themselves with the performance of the new chemical fume suppressant.
If you add a non-PFOS chemical fume suppressant to a bath that has been used with a PFOS chemical fume suppressant, it is imperative that you follow the non-PFOS chemical fume suppressant manufacturer’s transition instructions. Failure to do so could result in excessive foaming and unsafe working conditions.
DISCLAIMER: All chemical fume suppressant products included in this list are certified by South Coast AQMD and CARB as able to meet an emission limitation of 0.01 milligrams of hexavalent chromium per ampere-hour of applied current, by reducing the surface tension of hexavalent chromium electroplating or chromic acid anodizing baths, provided they are used in sufficient quantity to reduce the surface tension of the plating or anodizing bath to the value listed in the table in addition to following manufacturers' usage directions. The list is arranged alphabetically and the South Coast AQMD in no way endorses any of these products. Source test results used to develop the maximum surface tensions listed in this table are limited to certification of chemical fume suppressants only and should not be used for other purposes.