Nuclear power outlook dim, report concludes Without significant changes in technology, management, and level of public acceptance, nuclear power in the U.S. is unlikely to be expanded in this century beyond the reactors already under construction, says Congress' Office of Technology Assessment. Given that several public opinion polls show twice as many people oppose construction of nuclear plants as favor it, the industry's demise may seem to be of little concern. OTA thinks otherwise. In a new report it finds that future electricity demand is so uncertain that anywhere from zero to 400 new, large power plants will need to be ordered by 1994. Without the nuclear option, most of the plants will have to be coal-fired, with potential impacts such as acid rain and carbon dioxide-induced climate changes that could be unacceptable. Nuclear power is not inherently unsafe, OTA says. Some utilities
have built, operated, and maintained plants that have been safe, reliable, and economic sources of energy. The problem lies in restoring the trust of the public, investors, safety regulators, and the utilities in nuclear power as a credible energy option. Research might provide part of the answer, OTA says. It recommends research focused on improving current light-water reactors to resolve safety issues and research on reactors—such as the hightemperature gas reactor and the heavy-water reactor—that rely more on passive, inherently safe characteristics to protect against accidents. Smaller reactors may warrant special attention, OTA says, since they have potential for factory fabrication, lower financial risk, and greater safety. Whatever happens, OTA concludes, "If the nuclear option is foreclosed, it should at least happen with foresight, not by accident or neglect." D
effectively will remove about 97% of all the pesticide from agricultural use. EPA is not the only agency clamping down on EDB. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration held public hearings last week on cutting worker exposure levels from 20 ppm to a ceiling of 130 ppb, time weighted over eight hours. The reduction was first proposed as an advance rule in December 1981 and has been pushed heavily by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, which represents many of the employees exposed to EDB. The union would like to see the exposure limit lowered to 15 ppb. D
Chemists share Wolf prize for NMR work
Three U.S. university professors will share the $100,000 Wolf Foundation Prize in Chemistry for 1983-84 for their work in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The international chemistry award, sponsored by the Israel-based foundation, will be Ethylene dibromide use on stored grain halted presented to Herbert S. Gutowsky Responding to new discoveries of ucts, and 30 ppb in ready-to-eat of the University of Illinois, Urbana; contamination by the pesticide eth- products such as cold cereals and Harden M. McConnell of Stanford University; and John S. Waugh of ylene dibromide in grain and food baked goods. products, Environmental Protection "The emergency suspension will Massachusetts Institute of TechAgency Administrator William D. result in the clearing of EDB from nology. Ruckelshaus has placed an emer- the food pipeline" in the U.S., The Wolf Foundation award comgency suspension on use of EDB as Ruckelshaus says. EPA suspensions mittee stated that its choice of laurea fumigant for stored grain and ates for the chemistry prize reflects grain machinery, halting all remainthe fact that "magnetic resonance ing uses in agricultural of the spectroscopy has made a singular chemical. contribution to chemistry in theory, structure, and dynamics of moleThe action is the second suspencules in liquids and solids." sion of EDB uses in less than five months. On Sept. 30, 1983, EPA Gutowsky, 65, is cited as the first halted use of the pesticide as a soil to apply NMR to chemical research. fumigant for agricultural crops and His work relating the chemical shift began phasing out the compound's effect to molecular structure has enause as a fumigant on citrus and tropibled chemists to study molecular cal fruits. The primary reason for conformation and molecular interthe suspensions is that EDB causes actions in solutions. McConnell, 57, cancer in laboratory animals and, at is being honored for his studies of the levels EPA currently is finding, nuclear hyperfine interactions in arthe agency believes that the risks of omatic free radicals. And Waugh, continued use outweigh the bene55, is receiving the prize for exfits to society. tending the use of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy from liquids to EPA also recommended residue solids. levels for EDB in food. These are 900 ppb in raw grain for human The Wolf Foundation award cereconsumption, 150 ppb in flour and monies will be held in Jerusalem in other intermediate level grain prod- Ruckelshaus: clear from food pipeline May. D February 13, 1984 C&EN
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