LABORATORY OF THE MONTH
Product Quality Control and Analytical and Process Research
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Safety features include this sample port which permits the admission of f u m i n g samples, such as liquid chlorine and liquid sulfur dioxide, directly into a f u m e hood and eliminates contaminating the working area. Other safety features in the building include an automatic alarm system which alerts an emergency squad any time a safety shower or fire extinguisher is used. In addition t o an audible alarm, which also can be used t o evacuate the building if necessary, lights positioned along corridors identify the area in which an emergency exists
Process research often requires duplication of plant equipment on a laboratory scale. This is done with plant fractional distillation columns, for instance. The equipment shown is used t o study the kinetics of a chlorination process and has been built in a large walk-in fume hood. The quality of materials produced u n d e r v a r i e d c o n d i t i o n s is m o n i t o r e d by i n f r a r e d analysis 110 A ·
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Sauget, III., (near St. Louis) is the site of research and control laboratories which serve Monsanto's W. G. K r u m m r i c h Plant, an industrial complex producing more than 100 organic and inorganic products. The 2 3 , 0 0 0 square foot building houses four control laboratories for monitoring product quality, nine research laboratories for both analytical and plant process research activities, and various service and support facilities. Approximately 125 people work at the laboratories. Except for the entrance area, the building is windowless. To avoid a partial vacuum within the building and to maintain a small positive pressure, air conditioning circulates air only once; all air is exhausted through the fume hoods with no recycle. In addition to the expected laboratory services, electricity, gas, air, hot and cold water, distilled water, a centrally piped helium system serves about 4 5 g a s liquid chromatographs
Laboratories Serve Needs of Monsanto's W. G. Krummrich Chemical Plant -*;«.« '
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Each control laboratory is made up of chemical benches in a U c o n f i g u r a t i o n with an instrument table in the center. Benches, sinks, fumehoods, and instruments are readily accessible. Benches are of 3 1 6 stainless steel construction. Control relies heavily on gas—liquid chromatographs. Plans are underway to automate the integration, interpretation, and calculation of routine chromatographic outputs by use of a digital computer
VOL. 39, NO. 13, NOVEMBER 1967
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111 A
LABORATORY
OF THE
MONTH
Air and water pollution are monitored by testing of 4 5 0 0 samples per month. T h e boxed e n c l o s u r e , p u r g e d w i t h scrubbed air, prevents trace contamination of samples being analyzed
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Oesk-model computer is used for routine calculations. Frequently used equations are programmed and recorded on a magnetic card. After the card is fed to the computer, variables are entered on the keyboard: results are automatically printed out. Analytical results are transmitted by electronic transcriber to the respective plant production areas. By use of selector switches quality reports are also exchanged with other plant laboratories, eliminating duplicate testing on materials transferred
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Atomic absorption and x-ray fluorescence techniques are used to measure and control metallic components and impurities in various products and plant streams. For the identification of unknown interferences in analytical research, an infrared spectrophotometer is used
112 A
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
