News of the Week The fact that in the Arctic the vortex usually breaks up before the sun comes up, allowing that reconversion, is probably what has prevented an Arctic ozone hole so far. "The biggest difference between the Antarctic and the Arctic is that in Antarctica the vortex holds together for weeks after the sun comes up," Watson said. The Arctic polar vortex usually breaks up in late February or early March. Tuck points out, however, that in some unusual years it has lasted into April and May. The scientists' worry was not lost on senators at the hearing. Describing the Arctic situation as a "time bomb," subcommittee chairman Sen. Albert Gore Jr. (D.-Tenn.) called for faster action on controlling CFCs, the major source of stratospheric chlorine. Gore has introduced legislation calling for a unilateral phaseout of CFCs in the U.S. Pamela Zurer
Plant inspection tried for chemical arms pact As part of a larger international effort, the U.S. government has conducted a mock inspection of Akzo Chemicals' Gallipolis Ferry, W.Va., plant. This plant makes a chemical that would be routinely monitored under a global chemical weapons treaty. The U.S. is one of 16 Eastern and Western bloc countries carrying out these national trial inspections. Protocols will be developed from these tests to verify that a plant is producing a specified chemical and not a derivative closer to a warfare agent. The mock inspection occurred over a three-day period last week. A seven-person team, five from the government, followed a protocol developed by the Chemical Manufacturers Association. The first day was
Academy of Engineering elects new members The National Academy of Engineering has elected 90 engineers to academy membership and seven as foreign associates. This brings total U.S. membership to 1484 and the number of foreign associates to 122. Among the new members, those whose activities have been in chemically related fields include: Frank F. Apian, professor of metallurgy and mineral processing, department of mineral engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park. David H. Archer, manager, process engineering, nuclear technology division, Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh. James J. Carberry, professor of chemical engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind. Russell D. Dupuis, distinguished member of the technical staff, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J. Robert C. Forney, executive vice president, Du Pont, Wilmington, Del. Keith E. Gubbins, Thomas R. Briggs Professor of Engineering and director, school of chemical engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. L. Louis Hegedus, vice president, W. R. Grace & Co., Columbia, Md.
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February 27, 1989 C&EN
George R. Hill, EIMCO Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Edward J. Kramer, professor, department of materials science and engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Shiro Matsuoka, head, plastics research and development department, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J. James W. Mitchell, head, department of analytical chemistry research, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J. Charles R. O'Melia, professor of environmental engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. Alan Schriesheim, director, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, III. Michael L. Shuler, professor of chemical engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Larry F. Thompson, head, lithographic materials and chemical engineering research department, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J. William J. Ward III, research engineer, General Electric Corporate Research & Development Center, Schenectady, N.Y.
a walk-through of the plant. On the second day the team inspected equipment in detail, took samples from several points in the production line, and carried out various audits to develop a materials balance sheet. Initial analysis of the samples occurred on site, using the plant's sophisticated gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, on the third day. CMA organized the trial inspection, explains CMA spokesman Kyle B. Olson. But Akzo volunteered to be inspected. Under an agreement with the government, the results of the inspection will be disclosed in Geneva this spring. Akzo makes organophosphorus fire-retardant chemicals at its West Virginia plant. "One of these chemicals would be routinely monitored under a future chemical weapons treaty/' Arms Control & Disarmament Agency spokesman John Hall explains. Both Hall and Olson stress that the Akzo plant does not make a chemical warfare agent. It does make a chemical "that is a couple of steps removed from making the nerve gas GB," Olson explains. He says the chemical could be routed into the manufacture of methylphosphonyl dichloride, or dichlor, which can then be made into methylphosphonyl difluoride, or difluoro, a component of binary chemical artillery shells. The idea for such inspections came from the Soviet delegation to the 40-nation Conference on Disarmament, which is in Geneva negotiating a chemical weapons treaty. The Soviets suggested, and other delegations agreed, that this might be the best way to develop procedures for routine, periodic inspections of the chemical industry. The results of the national inspections will be funneled to the Swedish delegation, which is acting as a coordinating committee for this activity within the conference. According to the head of the delegation, Carl-Magnus Hyltenius, 11 countries have now completed at least one inspection. The Swedes will review the national inspection protocols, cull the best features, and recommend guidelines for routine inspections, probably by late summer. Lois Ember
