Editors' Column
The Next Five Years A few years ago Congress passed a law t h a t has led t o publication of a study by the National Science Foundation (NSF). T h e law requires t h a t a five-year outlook on science and technology be prepared from time to time to identify and describe situations and conditions t h a t warrant special attention. Now the N S F has obliged, with the recent publication of an appropriately titled study—"The Five-Year Outlook: Problems, Opportunities and Constraints in Science and Technology." A number of areas of interest to the analytical community are touched upon in the report: Space. T h e National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is pushing earth studies using remotesensing instruments carried by satellite. NASA hopes to find out more about atmospheric pollutants. In addition, remote sensing as an aid to natural resource mapping is attracting attention. Perception and Management of Hazards and Risks. A number of agencies are going to be supporting the development of methods for detecting, sampling, a n d monitoring hazardous substances in the environment. "For example," the report reads, "methods are needed to identify and assay drug and pesticide residues, aflatoxins, and viral contaminants." Food and D r u g Administration ( F D A ) . Some toxic and carcinogenic agents (for example, dioxins) produce effects a t p p b or even p p t levels. T h e FDA is thus encouraging the development of more sensitive analytical methodology. "Rapid, inexpensive, automated, multiresidue assays are needed for animal drug and pesticide residues, industrial contaminants, and other toxins—some as yet not isolated." T h e FDA also hopes to find better analytical techniques for analyzing regulated products for impurities and contaminants. Environmental Protection A g e n cy (EPA). Three air pollution problems are receiving particular attention: • Interregional transport and transformation of pollutants and fine particles. Ozone oxidants and their precursors, as well as organic pollutants, are being studied.
CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRY FOR CHEMISTS
• The fate and effects of air pollutants. Trace elements are of particular concern, as are the human and economic costs of visibility degradation. • Naturally occurring pollutants in air. Here hydrocarbons are the principal concern. T h e EPA also will be supporting t h e collection of additional information for environmental assessments (see Environmental Science & Technology, 1980,14, 385-88) and the development of methods to identify and quantify contaminants in drinking water. Volume I of the N S F report is a summary of selected societal problems and the science and technology that will be needed to begin to solve them. Volume II contains the specific source material on which Volume I is based. It contains a report from the National Academy of Sciences, statements from 21 U.S. agencies on their needs over the next five years, and papers by individual specialists on selected topics, such as uses of information and t h e relation between science, technology, and socioeconomic goals. Copies of the report are available from the Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. 20402. Volume I is $4.25 (stock number 038-000-00442-5). Volume II is $15 (stock number 038-00000441-7). Stuart A. Borman
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 5 2 , NO.
1 1 , SEPTEMBER
1980
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