Environment and safety

Environment and safety

Article Type: Environment and safety From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 62, Issue 5

Cortec® announces VpCI®-643: environmentally safe corrosion solution for process applications

In desalination plants and closed-circuit cooling and heating systems, solutions containing dissolved halogens can cause harmful corrosion. To fix this devastating set back, the plant or system must be shut down; this solution can be crippling to businesses due to the extreme costs and loss of production time. Fortunately, Cortec® Corporation, the global leader in corrosion control technology, has created a product to prevent this corrosion problem.

A biodegradable corrosion inhibitor for marine and process applications – Cortec’s VpCI®-643 provides instant, long-term, multi-metal corrosion protection. VpCI®-643 is a unique, concentrated combination of inherently biodegradable corrosion inhibitors and oxygen scavengers that protect ferrous and nonferrous metals from corrosive solutions containing chlorides. This new water treatment additive is designed to provide corrosion protection in fresh water, salt water, brine and other highly corrosive solutions containing dissolved halogens.

As a concentrated formulation, VpCI®-643 offers low-dosage effectiveness as a treatment for a wide variety of marine and process applications requiring economical corrosion inhibition for fresh and salt water. VpCI®-643 is an effective replacement for nitrate and chromate-based formulations and hydrazine-based oxygen scavengers. Adding VpCI®-643 to closed circuit cooling and heating systems containing brines or water and hydrostatic testing of pipeline, castings, tanks and valves provides corrosion inhibiting levels of above 95 per cent.

By scavenging oxygen in a liquid system and forming a barrier layer onto a metal substrate, VpCI®-643 provides corrosion protection in aggressive chloride-filled environments. This becomes particularly important in desalination plants dealing with highly corrosive, concentrated chloride stream as a byproduct for removing the chloride from seawater to produce drinking water.

The features include:

• provides effective corrosion protection against aggressive attack of high chloride solutions;

• effective in a broad range of applications to stop aggressive corrosion by salt or fresh water, and brines;

• nitrite and amine-free;

• low concentration effectiveness provides economical treatment;

• multi-metal protection; and

• readily water-soluble liquid for easy application.

VpCI®-643 is available in 5-gallon (19 liter) pails, 55-gallon (208 liter) drums, liquid totes and bulk.

Cortec’s VpCI®-643 conforms to ASTM G 1, ASTM G 3 Standard Test Methods, NACE Standard TM-01-64 for Laboratory Corrosion Testing of Metal for the Process Industries and NACE Standard TM 0,169-95 for Laboratory Corrosion Testing of Metals.

More information is available from: http://www.cortecvci.com

OECD releases new data on nanomaterials – registrants asked to consider the information

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has started the dissemination of hazard information on the following 11 nanomaterials in IUCLID format:

1. fullerenes;

2. single-walled carbon nanotubes;

3. multi-walled carbon nanotubes;

4. silver;

5. gold;

6. dendrimers;

7. silicon dioxide (six different forms);

8. nanoclays;

9. titanium dioxide (six different forms);

10. cerium dioxide; and

11. zinc oxide.

The new information is the outcome of an experimental program where 11 commercially viable nanomaterials have been used to generate results from 780 studies relating to their intrinsic properties. The work has already given significant input to the specific amendments to the existing test guidelines and generated numerous nanospecific (eco)toxicological data. It will continue to be a cornerstone of the work around risk assessment of nanomaterials:

    We welcome more nano-specific data becoming publically available. Such data is highly sought after, not only in ongoing research projects and international work, but also as a contribution for better transparency of safety information on existing nanomaterials on the market, says ECHA Executive Director Geert Dancet.

ECHA encourages registrants of these substances to carefully assess the new data. When relevant, they should take this information into account and update their registration dossiers accordingly to ensure the safe use of their substances.

ECHA is actively involved in the OECD work and chairs the Steering Group on Testing and Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials. The newly published data have been developed and generated by delegations and industry under this steering group. The testing program was launched in 2007 to conduct specific tests relevant to human health and environmental endpoints on manufactured nanomaterials. The aim was to assess the applicability of the existing test guidelines to nanomaterials and to provide useful information on intrinsic properties of manufactured nanomaterials.

More information is available from: http://echa.europa.eu/about-us