NEWS
June 14 1954 WALTER J. MURPHY, Editor
D a t a on Chemical Substances A H E NEED for readily accessible uniform data on t h e physi cal properties of chemical compounds h a s long been recog nized by chemists a n d chemical engineers. For more than two years an ad hoc committee, u n d e r t h e leadership of Robert R. Dreisbach of D o w Chemical and D . S. Weddell of Monsanto, has been studying various ways and means of developing a project within t h e chemical industry patterned after the highly successful American Petroleum Institute's Research Project 4 4 on "Data on Hydrocarbons a n d Related Compounds." A plan has now been announced that deserves t h e en thusiastic support of industry. F . D . Rossini of Carnegie In stitute of Technology, long associated with API Project 44, has agreed to direct t h e work, and a campaign will shortly get under way to raise $40,000 from t h e chemical industry for the first year of operation. The Manufacturing Chemists' Association has agreed to solicit funds from the chemical industry a n d will exercise supervision of the project through its committee on research, of which Robert C . Swain, Cyan amid vice president, is chairman. T h e aims of t h e proposed project can be summarized as follows : 1. To examine all t h e pertinent original data in t h e litera ture, plus all available unpublished data, a n d t o appraise them critically. 2. To correlate values of given properties, with tempera ture (or pressure) to obtain values for temperatures (or pressures) for which no data are available, a n d with molecu lar structure to obtain values for compounds for which no data are available and which may even never have existed. 3 . To make original calculations of thermodynamic and physical properties, as necessary. 4. To select a n d tabulate "best" values of the properties. 5. To prepare t h e selected values in a convenient form for use by industrial a n d scientific laboratories. 6. To prepare t h e original calculations a n d correlations in a form suitable for publication. 7. To keep t h e tables of selected values of the properties u p to date and publish revisions at appropriate intervals. T h e compounds to b e covered in t h e investigation will start with those having t h e greatest tonnage and value in production. Gradually t h e work c a n b e extended so as to include all of t h e simpler inorganic a n d organic compounds. In so far as practicable, t h e compounds will b e investigated in chemically related groups, to take advantage of molecular correlations and to make for economy of operation. T h e project, to perform a really worth-while service, must b e supported indefinitely. Unquestionably it will n e e d more t h a n $40,000 a year, t h e sum decided upon for t h e first year of operation. Many advantages result from having the work performed systematically and consistently in a cooperative program b y a staff of experts rather than incidentally and sporadically by workers in different laboratories. A coopera tive effort in the long r u n will prove to b e more economical for the industry. In addition to t h e obvious advantage of
producing a complete, reliable, and self-consistent set of values of constants and prop>erfes, such a cooperative pro gram will result in a considerable saving in over-all cost and manpower.
S a f e t y in Chemical Plants I N F O R M A T I O N on t h e 1Θ53 safety record of n u m b e r of com panies just released by t:he Manufacturing Chemists* Association shows a \0°/o reduction in t h e frequency rate from t h e previous year. T h e overall reduction since 1946 is 5 2 % . This is an impressive re«cord, one that t h e industry can point to with deep pride. T h e excellent record for safety achieved by t h e chemioal industry i s t h e result of a long sustained, well designed, ancl a well executed program. T h e Manufacturing Chemists' Association d o w n through the years has issued rnajriy craemical safety data sheets. T h e following were issued in 195-3: Smilfur Dioxide (Safety D a t a Sheet-52), Hydrogen Peroxide ( S D - 5 3 ) , o-Dichlorobenzene ( S D - 5 4 ) , Butadiene (SÎD-55D, artd Vinyl Chloride ( S D - 5 6 ) . T h e projected program for th.«^ n e w fiscal year provides for possible publication of a t least six n e w Chemical Safety D a t a Sheets a n d revisions of several existing ones. T h e longrange program calls fox publication of d a t a sheets on ap» proximately 2 5 additional commodities. T h e Data Sheet program o f th*3 MCA h a s h a d not only a beneficial effect in this country, but throughout t h e world as well, wherever chemicals^ are produced. W i t h t h e permission of the association the? manuals have been reproduced, in several foreign languages. Wmthin the past year t h e So= ciety of Organic Chemistry o»f Jarpan Has published a volume containing D a t a Sheets I to SO. T h e MCA also distributes case· histories of chemical plant accidents submitted to i t by member companies. This program, initiated in 195L, has beem most enthusiastically received here a n d abroad. M^ny foreign organizations, such as t h e Association of l>ritisFi Cfciemieal Manufacturers, re^ ceive copies for distribution, to *heir members. Each case history includes preventive suggestions. Good safety measures are just as important a n d necessary in t h e laboratory as they a r e in ithe p l a n t . It is good news to learn that the M C i is sponsoring a g u i d e for safety in the chemical laboratory to l>e rpublished soon b y D . Van Nostrand Co. T h e chemical industry ce^rtairmly lias been most diligent in its efforts to make t h e chiemical p l a n t and t h e chemical laboratory a safe place to work. Its record is m u c h better than many industries wbere the ^potential dangers are much less than they are i n many cheraoical manufacturing opera^ tions. Unquestionably i t ha_s be=-en t h e s e potential dangers that have spurred t h e chemical industry t o spend t h e time and money learning to make and transport chemicals safely. T h e Division of Industrial ancX Engineering Chemistry of the A M E R I C A N CHEMICLAX SOCIEITY is showing keen interest
in t h e subject of safety. I * is planning a symposium on "Safety in the Plant a n d Laboratory" for t h e 1955 spring meeting in Cincinnati. I t is îiope;d t h a t m a n y leaders in t h e MCA safety program will participate in t h e symposium.
