Testing has begun on a novel, closed-loop system that stores and transports solar energy in a chemical form at Israel's Weizmann Institute (Rehovot). S u c h a system (above) could collect solar light in a remote desert location and ship the resultant energy-rich chemicals to an industrialized or urban site. The system converts C 0 2 a n d CH 4 to H 2 and CO using a solar reformer developed by Germany's Aerospace Research Establishment. These products can be stored or transported a n d converted to starting materials in the William Davidson methanator (the technology for w h i c h w a s developed at the W e i z m a n n Institute), releasing heat in the process. Alternatively, the energyrich products, k n o w n as syngas, can be used for the industrial production of methanol or ammonia.
MEASUREMENT Los Alamos researchers announced at the recent ACS national meeting the development of a portable device for quickly analyzing soils for inorganics. Laser-induced b r e a k d o w n spectroscopy (LIBS) uses an infrared laser to fire a fast pulse of highenergy light that rapidly atomizes a sample. The resultant atomic emissions are fed by a fiber-optic cable to a spectrometer. LIBS was developed to screen soils for contamination by Be and Ba, byproducts of explosives research; it measures them to 2 p p m and 60 p p m , respectively. According to the researchers, Cr, CI, As, Pb, Ag, Au, or Pt should be accessible by the technique. 462 A
Screening water samples for toxicological activity is difficult because many of the organic pollutants are present in very low concentrations. This m o n t h in ES&T researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology present a combined filtration— solid-phase extraction m e t h o d for concentrating organics from natural waters for mutagenicity testing (p. 1819). The system relies on 0.45-um poly(vinylidene difluoride) m e m b r a n e filters and C18 a n d CN b o n d e d - p h a s e sorbents. BUSINESS Manufacturers of environmental reference standards are moving rapidly to form a trade association that could be a major voice in a growing discussion about certification a n d guidelines for these materials. The Chemical Reference Material Manufacturers Association w a s initiated after last March's Pittsburgh Conference, in part as a response to EPA's ann o u n c e m e n t that it was abandoning its three-year-old program of certifying environmental reference materials. EPA's program, u n d e r w h i c h only five manufacturers could claim EPA certification, h a d been widely criticized and was the subject of two unfavorable reports by EPA's Office of Inspector General (see Analytical Chemistry, Sept. 1, 1994, p . 868A). A lawsuit about the program is pending. As a result, EPA is letting other groups lead the technical discussions on reference standards. The manufacturers association, w h i c h is expected to play a role, has incorporated a n d
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expects elections for a board of directors later this year. However, because of legal constraints, the Association probably will act as a catalyst for change and not as a third party setting standards. The American Chemical Society and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have also been involved in these discussions, a n d NIST m a y play a role in the n e w association. Moreover, the American Society for Testing and Materials, American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, and International Organization for Standardization continue to develop guidelines and certification. However, there remain m a n y technical and political questions about h o w this n e w association, the various societies a n d groups, and the federal gove r n m e n t will eventually handle guidelines a n d certification. How much is pollution prevention worth? For Monsanto, the value is $1 million, w h i c h is what the giant chemical firm is offering for the most cost-effective, commercially practicable technology for separating a n d recovering ammonia from organic chemical waste streams. The u n i q u e challenge grant was a n n o u n c e d at the recent ACS meeting and will be paid as a $500,000 advance to fund the development of a research proposal meeting the company's criteria and as a second $500,000 payment if the research yields a process that is demonstrated successfully. " T h e organics make it difficult to recover the ammonia, a n d the ammonia makes it difficult to remove the organics," said Monsanto's Earl Beaver. Monsanto and the Center for Waste Reduction Technologies (an affiliate of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers) will judge proposals, w h i c h must be submitted by the end of this year. For more information call 1-800NH3-7040. Mobil's Solar Energy Corporation has been purchased by ASE GmbH (Angewandte Solarenergie), w h i c h has r e n a m e d the Billerica, MA-based company ASE Americas, Inc. The n e w owners plan to continue developing and commercializing the photovoltaic technology begun by Mobil as well as expand product marketing b e y o n d electric utilities to private and industrial sectors.
