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0 • <br />Chapter 4-Site-Speck Industrial Storm Water BMPs <br />Gelling Agents <br />What Are They <br />Gelling agents are materials that interact with liquids either physically or chemically (i.e., thickening <br />or polymerization). Some of the typical gelling agents are polyelectrolytes, polyacrylamide, <br />butylstyrene copolymers, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene oxide, and a gelling agent referred to as the <br />I universal gelling agent which is a combination of these synthetics. <br />Gelling interacts with a material by concentrating and congealing it to become semisolid. The <br />semisolid gel later forms a solid material, which can then be cleaned up by manual or mechanical <br />methods. The BMP of using a gelling agent is one of the few ways to effectively control a liquid <br />spill before it reaches a receiving water or infiltrates into the soil and then ground water. <br />When and Where to Use Them <br />Gelling agents are useful for facilities with significant amounts of liquid materials stored onsite. <br />Gels cannot be used to clean up spills on surface water unless authorized by the U.S. Coast Guard <br />or EPA Regional Response Team. <br />What to Consider <br />Gels can be used to stop the liquid's flow on land, prevent its seeping into the soil, and reduce the <br />surface spreading of a spill. Because of these properties, gels can reduce the need for extensive <br />cleanup methods and reduce the possibility of storm water contamination from an uncontrolled <br />industrial spill. As with sorbents, the use of gels simply involves the addition of the gel to the area <br />of the spill, mixing well, and allowing the mass to congeal. To use gels correctly, however, <br />personnel need to know the properties of the spilled materials so that they can choose the correct <br />gel. <br />Timing is particularly important for gelling agent use. To prevent the movement of materials, <br />gelling agents must be applied immediately after the spill. The use of gelling agents results in a <br />large bulk of congealed mass that usually cannot be separated. Ultimately, this mass will need to <br />be cleaned up by manual or mechanical methods and disposed of properly. <br /> <br />4-35