A NA LVTICA L
EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS Washington D C 20036 1155 Sixteedth St' N W. Phone: 202-737-iA37'Teletype: 710-8220151 Managing Editor (Acting): Virginia E. Stewart Assistant Editor: Alan J. Senzel Editorial Assistant: Sylvia Crawford PRODUCTION STAFF Production Manager: Bacil Guiley Direction of Design: Joseph Jacobs Art Director: Norman W. Favin Associate Production Manager: Charlotte C. Sayre Editorial Assistant: Patricia W. Kener NEW YORKOFFICE 733 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017 212-867-3161 Associate Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi PRODUCTION OFFICE,EASTON,PA. EDITORIAL Assistant Editor: Elizabeth R. Rufe
Snyder, Samuel M. Tuthill. Jam& D. Winefordner
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th St., N.W. Wahington, D.C. 20036. Frederick T. Wall, Executive Director
'
Books a n d J o u r n a l s Division Director (Acting): John K Crum Head Business Operations D e p a r t m e n t : JosAph H. Kuney Assistant t o t h e Director: Ruth Reynard
REGIONAL EDITORIAL BUREAUS CHICAGO, Ill. 60603 36 South Wabash Ave. S A N FRANCISCO, Calif. 94104 57 Post St. HOUSTON Texas 77002 514 Main Bidg. 1212 Main St. FRANKFURT/MAIN West Germany 32 Groese Bockenheim;rstrasse LONDON W C. 2, England 27 John Aham' St. TOKYO Japan Villa Iris' 4 c 2-2-7 Azabu 10-Ban Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Japan
Analytical Chemistry in Environmental Science II. The Need for Identification of Species EGAL LIMITS for
pollutants, particularly the heavy metals, are set in terms of the total concentration of each element rather than in terms of specific chemical forms. As our knowledge of the chemistry and toxicology improves, it is increasingly evident that such limits may have little meaning without a characterization as to chemical species. An excellent example is the case of mercury pollution, which has received so much publicity recently. It is now recognized that methylmercuric ion is the most important form of mercury in the life cycle, being produced from inorganic mercury species by microorganisms, and persisting up the life chain through fish and fish-eating animals. Inorganic forms of mercury are so widespread in nature that they can be detected in practically all rocks, soils, and waters, as well as in the atmosphere, Therefore, to specify simply mercury content may lead either to standards that are too loose (if the mercury is all organic) or too tight (if it is all inorganic). Ideally, both forms should be reported and specified, to indicate both the present level of hazard and the potential for future hazard. Another example is chromium, which is much more toxic in the form of chromium(V1) than chromium(III), but which often enters the environment as chromate through its use as a corrosion inhibitor. A different type of problem is presented by a pollutante.g., a pesticidethat undergoes chemical changes in the environment or in the metabolic system to produce products of lesser (or greater) toxicity than the original material, but which may respond to the specified analytical method. It is perhaps premature to suggest that all pollution standards actually be set in terms of chemical species, for two reasons. First, not enough is known in many instances about the relative toxicities of species. Second, analytical methods that are sensitive enough are seldom sufficiently differentiating as to species. Those methods that combine specificity and sensitivity-e.g., mass spectrometry-are hardly in the class of routine methods available for the control laboratory or the field. Clearly, there is need for research to develop simple, reliable methods that are both sensitive and selective and capable of use by technicians, preferably in the field. Such research should be carried out in close cooperation with environmental scientists who are alert to existing techniques and their failings. Quite apart from monitoring or policing for pollution control, such analytical methods would be of great value in studying the behavior of pollutants in the environment.
L
Advertising Management CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS CORP. (for Branch Offices, see page 103 A)
For submission of manuscripts, see page 4 A . ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 43, NO. 7, JUNE 1971
809
