Products forwastewater Analysis
flow rate, quantity, temperature, and chemical quality of a proposed effluent have to be disclosed. In return, the River Authorities, before imposing limits on any of these factors, have to justify these limits in relation to the present condition and future use of the waterway itself. Rigid, numerical standards of water quality, applied universally and indiscriminately, have no place in this system. The aim is steady and sustained improvement over the years, rather than instant Utopia, and practical results are the more readily achievable. The River Thames in the center of London, which 15 years ago was virtually lifeless, now supports almost 50 species of fish and the reintroduction of game fish in the near future is no longer a pipe dream. At the same time, the many direct cooled power plants on this relatively short stretch of the Thames, totaling 3400-MW output capacity, continue to discharge about the same quantity of heat that they did 15 years ago, with no measurable ill effect. In contrast, the improvement in water quality has brought with it problems of corrosion and biological growth in the power plant cooling systems which did not previously exist, and only illustrates that there is no such thing as a simple environmental problem. A. J. Clarke and F. B. Hawes Central Electricity Generating Board London E. C .I , England
instruments- for particlessampling, generating, and monitoring.
PAPER T A P E R E A D E R Automatically evaluates sampler tapes in percent transmission or C O H units: all solid-state circuitry w i t h B C D outp u t ; features logarithmic converter to accommodate a wide range of sampling parameters for C O H readout: processes u p t o 4 8 0 spots per hour; meets ASTM standards; solidstate printer available.
Retraining aerospace engineers
DEAR SIR: The aerospace industry employs engineers having a variety of engineering backgrounds, such as aeronautical, civil, mechanical, sanitary, metallurgical, industrial, chemical, ana so forth. In general, these engineers are referred to as aerospace engineers simply because they are associated with the aerospace industry and not because they are degreed as aerospace engineers. As an engineer with a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering, a doctorate in sanitary engineering, and currently employed by Grumman Aerospace Corp., I am therefore an aerospace engineer. Having been closely associated with the development of the curricula and the teaching of the retraining program in pollution control with the emphasis on water quality as a specific, critical issue in the environment (ES&T, April 1972, p 316), I must take issue with Professor Okun's letter (your June 1972 issue, p (Continued on p 672) Circle No. 25 on Readers' Service Card
paction velocities. t e m p e r a h r e u p to 1800OF: size ranbes f r o m 0.1 t o 30 microns, plus in-line filter: ideal for stack and industrial application.
FLUiD A T O M I Z A T I O N A E R O S O L G E N E R A T O R M O D E L 7330 Size ranae 0.03 t o 3 microns: outout uo -to 1 billion oarticies oer iecond: variable dilution rates: 'all stainless steel contact areas. eiectrically neutral aerosol; liquid or solid particles.
Call or write today for Instrument Catalog
ENVIRONMENTAL F RRESEARCH CORPORATION 3725 North Dunlap Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55112 (612) 484-8591
You Can Depend on ERC Circle No. 4 on Readers' Service Card Volume 6, Number 8, August 1972
671
If you need to remove oil
from you n Fram
:er,
Fram’s oily water systems can I remove oil down to 5 ppm in concentrations from 0 to 100%oil/ water. The three-stage Fram system plus a plgte separator removes most oils, breaks emulsions which cannot be separated by other techniques. Where desirable, your Fram system can be automated for unattended operation. A strip chart records continued analysis, and signals when effluent exceeds pre-determined level. Special controls can be added to evacuate oil accumulation, and a dual system can maintain continuous service when backwash is required to keep element clean. When inquiring about a new Fram oily water svstem for your specific application, ask about our Corporation I Industrial Division Trace Oil Analysis Kit designed for BOX 50096, TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74150
Circle No 5 on Readers’ Scrvicc Card
Simplified BOD Test
Now anyone can get accurate, reliable biochemical oxygen demand water quality determinations without complicated procedures, calculations or previous training. Hach Model 2173 manometric BOD measurements compare within ‘5% of standard APHA dilution procedures and, at the same time, cost less t o operate than other manometric set-ups used (Warburg and Sierp). The Model 2173 BOD reads directly in ranges from 0-35 ppm to 0-350 ppm. Progressive readings are easily graphed where rate data is required. And, the new compact design requires minimum incubator space. No buffers are required. The Hach Model 2173 BOD comes complete with five sample mixing bottles, mag. netic stirring bars, and all necessary accessories. Price $200 F.O.B. Ames, Iowa, U.S.A. Send today for complete information on the Hach BOD Apparatus.
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P r o d u c t s for w a t e r analysis and pollution c o n t r o l
HACH CHEMICAL COMPANY Turbidimeters
P.O. Box 907, Arnes, Iowa 50010 USA
/ Colorimeters / Automatic
Analyzers
Phone (515) 232-2533
/ Portable Test Kits / Reagents
Circle No. 7 an Readers’ Service Card
672 Environmental Science & Technology
0
478) on the retraining of aerospace engineers for water pollution control. Prof. Okun’s stigmatization that the unemployed aerospace engineer is not likely to have been among the best of those who have been employed by the industry is quite unfair and untrue. It is this type of branding that is harming the unemployed aerospace engineer by creating a severe obstacle to the employment of these highly trained, competent engineers in areas where their talents can be useful. Okun’s generalization as to the lack of quality of these engineers is misleading and highly improper without having first ascertained the reasons for their unemployment. If Prof. Okun’s inference as to the unemployment of the thousands of aerospace engineers being due mainly to their lack of quality were true, then it is truly a sad reflection on the quality of our engineering education at the universities. I wonder if Prof. Okun would apply his stigmatization of lack of quality to those professors whose positions may be terminated at one of our largest eastern universities? It seems to me that the university does not operate on a “cost-plus” basis so quality must be very important. This same university is in the process of divesting itself of its school of engineering, which offers both the master’s and the doctorate degree in sanitary engineering. The basis for the cutback action of the aerospace industry and the university is not lack of quality of personnel, but economic survival. Prof. Okun says, “If it turns out that the Grumman graduates are not highly sought after, it is no condemnation of retraining. It may just possibly signify that retraining should be done in a university which is equipped for the purpose.” I agree with him on the need for retraining; however, I disagree with his narrow-minded pedagogical viewpoint that retraining should be done within the ivory towers of academe. In my opinion, the parochial attitude expressed by Prof. Okun and others in industry and government has unfairly stigmatized the aerospace engineer to such a degree as to inhibit his employment in any field other than aerospace. Until this attitude is changed, it may make no difference where the aerospace engineer gets his retraining-industry or university. We will be creating a new category of engineer-Retrained Unemployed Aerospace Engineer. Lawrence Slote Grumman Aerospace Corp. Bethpage, N . Y . 11714
