CURRENTS 11NTERNATIONAL IL Centre for Studies on Environmental nMonitoring and Assessment is being Established at Chelsea College, 1Jniversity of London, under the direction if Prof. G. T. Goodman. A project iitiated by the Scientific Committee on F'roblems of the Environment (SCOPE), dleveloped and coordinate0 oy the :entre. and fmded oy !he U.N. invironment Program and others wiii C:over four major study areas: rnonitoring data characterization: Y'ariations in monitoring requirements: tlhe dose commitment concept: and tiime perspectives of environmental C:hange. The objective of the SCOPE Firoject is to define, evaluate and solve S,ignificantmonitoring problems of Eilobal. national and regional concern.
Environmental Pollution, Train noted that 60 of the nations 247 air quality control regions (AQCR) would not meet standards for total suspended particulates by the statutory deadline: for oxidants, 74 AQCR would exceed the standards: and for sulfur oxides, 42 would not meet the statutory levels. Similar situations exist for nitrogen oiox de an0 carbon monoxide. Tra n felt that a sustained effort was still needed.
!PA denied a one-year extension of
New Dept. of the Interior regulations for exploration of the Outer Continental Shelf have been proposed. Geological and geophysical data obtained by companies while exploring for oil, gas and other minerals would have to be disclosed to the U.S. Geological Survey and the public under the new regulations. in addition, no permit to explore would be issued if the proposed operations harmed aquatic life, interfered with other users of the sea, or created hazardous conditions or pollution. EPA's administrator Russell Train cited progress in meeting the primary ambient air quality standards that were to have been achieved by May 31, 1975, although he said ". . . there is still a long way to go." As examples of improvement he cited reductions nationally in the concentrations of sulfur dioxide. Darticulate matter and photocnemical oxidants. n a status report lo Sen EdmJnd Muskie (D-Me.). Chairman, SLocommiitee on
in a recent decision, the Calif. ~i~ R~~~~~~~~ Board reiected OlanS to shut down industries, offices and recreational facilities during smog episodes. The Board claimed that there was no evidence that such a strategy would reduce air pollution during emergency periods. It did, however, resolve to develop a plan to protect sensitive individuals during smog episodes. States battle the bottle ban. In a straw poll taken by NBC-TV-Chicago, lllinoians voted almost 4 to 1 against enactment of a bottle bill patterned afler Oregon's legislation (€S&T, November 1973, p
uWASHINGTON controlling particulate emissions to three W. Va. electric power companies, citing bad faith efforts as the reason. The companies were the American Electric Power System (AEP) and two of its subsidiaries. At the same time, four other W. Va. power plants, including two of AEPs, were granted a one-year extension of the May 1975 deadline for controlling sulfur dioxide emissions.
converted to a dual fuel system to operate either on gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG). CNG is a more economical fuel than gasoline, increases engine life, reduces maintenance costs, and virtually eliminates air polluting engine emissions.
€PA 's Train
NOAA's Deep Ocean Mining Environmental Study tentatively predicted the environmental impact of deep sea manganese nodule mining. The preliminary resuits indicated that the environmental effects, now iargeiy unknown, would include stirring up sediments with the possible revitalization of long-dormant spores, and disturbing bottom life.
In another NOAA study, the ozone layer over the U.S. and Great Britain was found to have decreased by 2% from 1970 to 1974, but the annual rate of decline has slowed. The effects of thermonuclear explosions on the ozone layer were equivocal: volcanic eruptions and solar flares may alter the amount of zone, but the quasi-biennial oscillation in ozone makes interpretations difficult.
STATES The Alabama Air Pollution Control Commission refused U.S. Steel Corp. a one-year extension to the May 1975 deadline of the Clean Air Act. The Commission would permit U.S. Steel to continue operating if it reduced its hearth emissions, and paid a token fine. Officials from the steel company said it was not comorate Dolicv . . to Day . . fines, and the Birmingham hearth would prooaoly oe closed. In another A abama c ty. Brewton. city vehicles have oeen
Idaho's legislators, more than 63% opposed a bill similar to Oregon's ban on nonreturnable beverage containers. The lawmakers felt that it put the burden on the small retailer without attacking the total litter problem. On the other hand, Vermont has strengthened its law by mandating that all glass containers must be refillable, prohibiting "flip-tops" on cans, and placing a fivecent deposit on all beverage containers. New York and Michigan have designated the National Sanitation Foundation's Water Quality Index as the index number to use in compiling their annual water quality inventory reports to Congress, via transmission to the EPA, as mandated under P.L. 92-500. The index was developed with the assistance of more than 100 scientists who selected nine major index parameters to be used to characterize water quality. Among the parameters chosen were dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform bacteria density, temperature, turbidity and various undesirable chemicals. These parameters, by themselves or in combination, aid the water quality expert in determining whether water is safe for human consumption or surface body contact, and whether the body of water will support fish and other aquatic life. Phoenix, Arizona, has instituted an emission inspection and quality control program for its 3500-p us vnh cles. Tne Vourne 9. N.mner 7. July 1975
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higher pressure. Retention time is about 2 hrs (normal activated sludge retention time is 8-12 hrs), and land requirements are modest. iCI operates 3426-ft deep pilot model made in Iingland. f Arizona monitor
system was designed and its main component supplied by Automotive Environmental Systems, Inc. (Westminster, Calif.). Within the first nine months of operation over 2,500 full inspection tests have been run. In addition to minimizing emissions from the fleet vehicles, more than a 10% reduction in fuel consumption has been realized the quality of maintenance has improved substantially; the number of vehicles failing in the field has been reduced significantly; and the number of vehicles returned by the user after preventative maintenance has been reduced. Two scientists associated with Michiaan State Universitv have found that coliform bacteria, nirmally found in human intestines, can also live and reproduce outside the human body.
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tieen indicators of sewage I :ontamination of water, but with this riew finding, bacteria counts may no nnnar ha "" s r r i i r s + n i n A i r s t n r c n f pollution level. California's State Water Resources Control Board, the Dept. of Water Resources, and the Dept. of Health have established a panel of experts to help develop the data needed to establish water reuse criteria to protect public health. The State Water Resources Control Board is charged with cleaning up municipal wastewater, reuse of which would relieve pressure on California's limited supplies. The Dept. of Water Resources is interested in a comprehensive management program coordinating impounded supplies, surface waters, groundwaters and reclaimed wastewater. The Dept. of Health is charged with setting standards for wastewater reuse in such areas as direct reuse, recreational use, groundwater recharge and irrigation. 616
Environmental Science .& Technolow
MC wastewater is accomplished with a ' . ' system flow-through electrode developed ai:the University of Wisconsin-M adison. The system responds to copper ion concentrations as low as one part per billion (ppb), far below limits of conventional dipping electrodes. Prof. Walter Blaedei, the system's developer, believes that the flow-through electrode could be used in a compact, portable analyzing instrument, rather than in sophisticated laboratory equipment presently needed for ppb measurements. The system is basically a pencil-shaped electrode inserted in a thin tube where the water flows. Ion concentration in the water is related to electrode voltage. Two new standard reference materials (SRM) for mercury in water are the first nonradioactive water pollution standards developed and offered by the Dept. of Commerce's National Bureau of Standards. SRM 1641, concentrate, and SRM 1642, trace, are certified for mercury at levels of 1.49 f 0.5 ppm 0.5 ppb, respectively. SRM and 1.18 1642 encompasses EPA's primary standard for mercury in drinking water, 2 ppb.
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incrust;ations, hard scales, and soft plugga!jes in the SO2 removal system is possibli? when chloride ions (Ci-) are added t o the lime scrubbing medium. .. The Ci- ions are used in Holter process develor)ed by Saarberg-Halter Umwelirechnik GmbH (Saarbriicken, W. '111O " l C t,3mn,3nt,,r,3 ._ ic r'=rl,,r,3rl Ger.). F.-and the gases are washed in "Rotovent" rotational venturi stages. Ilust and S02-laden fluid are then I :entrifuged out, and demisting takes I)lace. The CI- ions insure better :alcium bonding to sulfur radicals; ixidation to gypsum is then accomplished. Efficiency is over 80%. and often as high as 95 % in 40 MW iilot plants. J__
Effective removal of troublesome zinc oxide emissions with a dry collection system was announced by the G. A. Kleissler Co. (Edison, N.J.). Zinc oxide, with fine particles, is difficult to handle, but the company solved the problem with a large separator with an extremely low air-to-cloth ratio. This combination helped to offset the static electricity generated by zinc oxide particles, and diminished problems in the tube walls caused bv statically
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TECHNOLOGY Disposal of dilficult-to-treat wastewater may be aerobically treated by ICl's Deep Shaft process. The Deep Shaft could be as much as 500 ft deep and 32 ft in diameter, and lined with steel or concrete. In fact, the shafts are concentric, and wastewaters are concentrated there, where air is driven in to be the main nutrient for the wasteconsuming microorganisms. Liquid wastes go to the shaft bottom and then up the sides where they meet the air.
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according to CDA, which predicts that weight will decrease as battery technology advances. The 18 six-volt lead-acid batteries can be recharged overnight on 220 V ac from total discharae.
charged zinc oxide sticking. A careful choice of cloth filter porosity is of the essence. Recovery of up to 100 lbslday of marketable zinc oxide is achievable, and downtime is essentially limited. High-performance incineration of liquid residues and sludges is possible with the CINCLUS mass combustion process developed by Societe ELF-UNION (Issyles-Moulineaux, France). The process uses a Multifluid Burner, which takes combustible fluids, high-pressure air, and combustion air, as well as harmful or malodorous gases to be destroyed. The undesirable materials are injected into the heat source after they are emulsified in the burner head. NO, emiss:ons are inhibited and fue consumption is reduced because mmhl,stinn T __...I_"
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INDUSTRY Alan Loolbourrow, vice president, engineering, 01 Chrysler Corp., told the Democratic Forum (Washington, D.C.) that his company pledges to increase automobile efficiency by 40%, on a sales-weighted basis, by 1980, and can do so if emission rules are held back sufficiently to allow an effective
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destroys paper mill liquors, bacteriologicaleffluents, cyanide baths. phenolic effluents, and many other noxious wastes.
The "most advancea electric vehicle in the U.S." was unveiled by the Copper Development Association Inc. (CDA, New York, N.Y.) in Washington, D.C., in May. Called the "Copper Electric Town Car", it has a range of 120 miles and a top speed of over 55 mph. Cruising speed of the frontwheel drive car is 40 mph, and the range in stop-and-go city driving is 75 miles. Energy fuel costs for the car, based on present electricity costs, are estimated at 2-36lmi. Car weight, including about 1200 Ibs of batteries, is 2952 Ibs,
Thomas Carmody, a vice president of Union Carbide Corp., asked scientists to make clear distinctions between fact and supposition when they discuss emotion-laden health issues. One such issue is in the finding of trace amounts of substances-which may or may not prove harmful-in the air; this poses a question whose answer may come after years of patient research. Carmody noted that in discussing such issues, scientists recognize the element of speculation, but the media often do not, and thus the press often takes speculation lor fact. This, in turn. stirs public alarm and activisl pressure for last cloveinmental action even thouah - a real problem was not defined, he said.
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Removal of heavy metals from waste streams is sufficient to meet the 1.0 ppm requirement for copper. At the same time, a marketable (or readily disposable) by-product becomes available through a process called extended-surface electrolysis (ESE) developed by the Engineering R&D Division of Du Pont. Essentially, ESE uses a spiral-cell "jelly-roll" construction rather than the usual planar electrode arrangement. The ESE system is inserted into a pipe, and has void volume of 93-95%. thus providing low fluid flow resistance. Efficiency, in this case of copper removal, becomes 100% at concentrations of 100 ppm or more, and is high even at 10 ppm. Work is proceeding on other heavy metals, and shows promise.
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