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Library Card

Zylstra, Shirley . 2005. Assessments of Seven Refractometers for Evaluating Wildland Fire Retardants. 0557 2822. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center. 16 p.

Describes an assessment of seven refractometers that could be used at airtanker bases to measure the amount of salt in a sample of fire retardant. Because salt is the active ingredient in long-term fire retardants, a refractometer can give an idea of the product’s effectiveness. In addition, the density of retardant is proportional to its salt content. Knowing the density of retardant is crucial to determining the weight of an airtanker after it has been loaded. Keeping an airtanker’s weight within specified limits is critical for safe operation.

The Wildland Fire Chemical Systems program at the USDA Forest Service’s Missoula Technology and Development Center assessed the following refractometers: ATAGO ATC–1E, ATAGO Pocket Pal–1, Bellingham & Stanley Eclipse, Leica IFT 40, Misco Digital, Reichert 10440, and Reichert Brix 35HP. All but the Misco Digital produced results that were satisfactory for airtanker bases.

Keywords: accuracy, airtanker bases, fire fighting, firefighting, repeatability, salt, testing, wildland fire chemical systems

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