by jbs091509 a3 — September 21, 2009—ASTM International has released new standards for hydraulic cements, proposed a new standard for mercury emissions from flue gases in coal-fired power plants, and launched a database to access more than 1,300 medical device standards from various organizations around the globe.
A newly approved ASTM International standard covers rapid hardening hydraulic cements, which are used in a variety of applications in which reduced cementitious contents are desired or early service is needed. Included among these applications are paving, construction, stucco, mortar, and block. ASTM C1600/C1600M, Specification for Rapid Hardening Hydraulic Cement lists minimum requirements for compressive strength, setting time, shrinkage and soundness (autoclave expansion) for four types of cement. It also lists optional specifications for sulfate expansion, alkali silicate reactions with aggregates, heat of hydration, and expansion in water.
A proposed new ASTM International standard would cover mercury emissions from flue gases in coal-fired power plants, which ASTM says are a large source of atmospheric mercury in the U.S. There is currently no standard for determination of mercury absorption. One promising method of controlling these emissions involves the injection of powdered activated carbon into the flue gas. WK24211, Guide for Determination of Hg Adsorption Capacity of Powdered Activated Carbons Used for Removal of Hg from Flue Gas would evaluate the performance of activated carbon for removal of elemental mercury in a simulated flue gas.
ASTM has joined three other major standards organizations to develop a resource for medical device standards and related information. Medical professionals can now access 1,300+ medical device standards from a single database developed jointly by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ASTM International, and the German Institute for Standardization (DIN). This new Medical Device Standards Portal is a user-friendly single source for critical documents from AAMI, ASTM, DIN, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and various European regulatory bodies.
