letters L L D e s i r a b l e " pesticides
SIR: I n the article entitled "Agriculture poscs \+aste problems" (ESPIT, Deccn1bi.r 1970, pagc 1098) appeared tv,o statements by nien who are in positions to int'iuence the direction of cnvlronnicntal progrnnis. I ani referring to Warren C . Shaw's statement concerning the lack of reliable data clo- ti me n tin g ;I nnual losses :inion g ..tion t ;i r gc t" org i n isn is occurr i n g f roiii aerial delivery of agricultural chemI c ;I 1 s. ; i n 11 M a 1.t i n A I exa n der's statem e l i t regarding "yesterday's desirable Thcsc statements arc rash since there are many documented c'ises of wildlif": destruction as a rc\ L i l t ni spraying 1 c i t e ;is one example the sprayi n g o f e l m trees or, the campus of Xlichigan State Cniversity in 1954, follev, ing LI hich many migrating robins werc hilled. Here, the losses were drciiiiatic. s i n c c the spraying was done 1 rorn trucks, concentrating the poison5 DEtR
in the sprayed area. I question uhcther the disseminating of insecticides over large sections of the country can be hastily pardoned just because there is n o documentation on ;in annual basis. Howwer, we know that such operations have sonietinies proved futile and d e I et e r i o i I s to u n off e n d i n g species . First of all, rigorous surveys cost mane!.. which does not seem to be forthcoming to the agencies able to do the job. Sccondly, much of the daniage is long-term. such a s decreased bird reproduction, and is not dr;imatic. Afr, Alexander spoke about ;I "desirablc" pcsticidc. No poison should be con\iiiereii desirable tor the use t o which pesticides are put when other more economical and efficient nieans arc a\ ailahle (although producing les5 c\thetically pleasing results). I hope responsible people. such a s I'm sure these tivn nien arc. \4 i l l not ti1 ;I ke ti i i g ti;i rded st atem en t < ii i the f 11tnri'. This could lead to ;I niistiirect-
ing of n long overdue niitional antipollution campaign in order to fatten the revenues of agricultural chemical coni p nn i es . W'illiam Gerbacia City Utiii,c,nity o/ ~"v'eic. Y o r k .vcJHYorl,. N.1'. 1 0 0 . ~ 1
ORSANCO:
m i s p l a c e d zeal'?
D E I KS I R : T h e Ohio Kiver Valley Water Sanit'ition Commission. subject of your recent story ( "ORS\NC'O: Pioriecr with ;I new mission." ~ s & T ,J a n i u r y 1971, p q e 3 2 ) , has an inipressivc record of' getting the mass inedia to siupport its pressure to get the citizens ta pay for domestic sev,age treatnient facilities along the Ohio River. This conipcndium of' Ohio River valIC.! industry, hov,ever, should now turn its zeal t o w ; i r d publicly prodding industrics i n this r i w r basin to clean up ( c ~ o t i t i t l l l c ~ 0i i1 1 prigl' I P S i
capacity. Sarnples can be drawn u p t 3 18 feet by a trouble-free, positive displacement tubins1 pump programmed to meet your requirerrents. The natural puising a c t i o n tends to keep the line clear and flowing. Small fibers and particles d o not p l u g the tubing.
Send for literature.
SIGMAMOTOR, INC. 141 N o r t h M a i n Street, Middleport, N. Y.
Phone (716) 735-3616
C i r c l e NO. 16 on Readers' Service Card
. . . where greater things are happening! NUPRO C O M P A N Y
15635 SARANAC ROAD
0
CLEVELAND, O H I O 44110
C i r c l e No. 10 on Readers' Service Card
mollutant analvsb rn
I
Only TRACOR pollution analysis systems offer selective, interference-free response to key pollutants-all the way down to 2 ppb levels. They’re so reliable you can operate them automatically on a long-term basis to sense CO, CH4, total hydrocarbons, H2S, SO2, other sulfur and phosphorous compounds. NAPCA-approved and developed gas chromatographic techniques account for the accuracy, selectivity and sensitivity of TRACOR systems. The MT-250H Analyzer, for example, proved flame photometric detector (right), a TRACOR exclusive, to pinpoint sulfur or phosphor0 in interferant matrices. Carbon monoxide, methane and total hydrocarbons are determined by the MT-350F analyzer, again following NAPCA-approved techniques. This instrument is sensitive to carbon monoxide across a range extending from 0.01 ppm to 200 ppm-continuously. Because TRACOR analyzers are based on chromatography (rather than mechanized wet chemistry or interference-prone
4-1
non-dispersive IR) they are especially well suited to automation. The TRACOR automatic digital function selector coordinates the most sophisticated procedures on either or both analyzers, and can interface the system with a computer. Routine, unattended data-gathering periods of a month or more are not uncommon. The function selector incorporates error Sensors to make systems self-correcting, and alarms to signal an operator when attention is required or when pollutant levels exceed pre-set threshold values. A specially designed permeation tube calibration system (above)assures the accuracy of analyses. An industry standard, it has been characterized as “the only permeation system that really works.” If you’re looking for an interference-free pollution detection system you can turn on, and then turn your back on, check into TRACOR systems. Contact Troy Todd, Marketing Manager, Analytical Instruments Division, TRACOR Inc., 6500 Tracor Lane, Austin, Texas 78721. Phone (512) 926-2800. TH
250H ANALYZER FOR SULFUR AND PHOSPHORUS
350F ANALYZER FOR C O I C H I AND TOTAL HYDROCARBONS
AUTOMATIC FUNCTION SELECTOR
Circle No. 26 on Readers’ Service Card
Volume 5, Number 3, March 1971 187
(continued f r o m page 186) PRECISION
Fs SCIENTIFIC
aerzzn
Air Quality Instruments
Determine air quality with speed and accuracy Aeron Contlnuous No, MonltorCorrelates with ASTM D 2012. Gives continuous measure of NO, (or NO) in the atmosphere. Sensitivity is 0.02 ppm or better.
Aeron Automatic Tape Sampler/ Recorder-Complies with ASTM D 1704. Sample spots are 1 in. dia. on 2 in. centers. Automatically records O-1OO0/o light transmission.
Louis G. Williams University of Alabama University, Ala. 35486
Aeron Tape Spot Evaluator-Companion unit for the Automatic Tape Sampler. Evaluates spots at a rate of 720 spots per hqur. Indicates percent of light transmittance directly.
Don’t stop flushing yet!
DEAR SIR: Since writing the Viewpoint column o n the deficiencies of the flush toilet for the January issue of ES&T (page l l ) , I have noted some reaction to the effect that it will no longer be necessary to spend large sums of money to build sewage treatment plants. If the “dry method” or some better way of keeping human wastes out of flowing water is proved successful by research, it will take many years or even decades to adopt it widely. Therefore, present efforts to construct treatment plants should continue apace. Even if such wastes are not handled by treatment plants in the future, our expanding population will generate other wastes (wash water, industrial, off-street, etc.) that will need the facilities now being constructed and planned.
Aeron Sequentlal Sarnpler-Complies with ASTM D 1605, D 1607, D 1609. Has 12 stations, each accommodating 3 tubes. Operates unattended-for up to 4 days.
Aeron Hlgh Volume Air Sampler -Complies with ASTM D 2009 and with USPHS Specifications. High capacity blower-up to 80 c.f.m. free air. Aeron Sulphur Dloxlde and DustF a l l M o n l t o r l n g Statlon-Cornplies with ASTM D 2010 (for SO,) and ASTM D 1739 (for dust-fall). Compact, stable stand assembles without tools. Also sulphation plate holders.
A s k your Precision S c i e n t i f i c Dealer for a no-obligation demonstration, complete performance data on Aeron Air Quality Instruments, or w r i t e us. Precision Scientific Company, 3737 W. Cortland St., Chibago, 111. 60647. Circle NO. 13
188 Enjironmental Science & techno log^
their effluents. ORSANCO standards do not include many of the toxic wastes from heavy industry. The Ohio River basin leads all others in the number of violations of water quality criteria f o r public water supplies. During the late summer and fall, effluents from heavy industry such as steel kill off beneficial communities of fish-food plankton which produce oxygen, and give rise to unwanted, but toxic-tolerant blue-green algae, similar to those in Lake Erie. These organisms have not read ORSANCO’S reports, but during the 16-week steel strike in the summer of 1959, the real water quality greatly improved because steel mill contamination ceased. ORSANCO’S predictions that the high navigation dams would result in a better control of stream flow to regulate waste assimilation did not turn out that way. Instead, toxic wastes accumulate in huge deposits in the newly formed deep pools and destroy many of the beneficial uses of the river. These ooze deposits use oxygen, produce unwanted treatment expense for water treatment plants, impart taste and odor, and impair recreational use of the river.
Harold H. Leich 5606 Vernon P1. Bethesda, M d . 20034 on Readers’ Service Card
