tablished OSIS program for support of the development of discipline-based information accession systems for science and technology." ACS further pointed out that it will take four or five years to develop these systems to "the point of operational viability" and that it can "only be accomplished with continuity of OSIS encouragement and support."
Lead not culprit in catalyst poisoning? the Environmental Protection Agency's recent rejection of AEC's draft of the environmental statement for the liquid-metal fastbreeder reactor program.
More money urged for information research Following up earlier testimony that helped get the House to restore the budget authorization for the National Science Foundation's Office of Science Information Services (OSIS) to $8.3 million, the American Chemical Society now has called upon a House appropriations subcommittee to provide the money. Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr., chairman of the ACS Board Committee on Chemical Abstracts Service, presented the ACS position to the House Subcommittee on HUD, Space, Science, and Veterans, chaired by Rep. Edward P. Boland (D.-Mass.). Among other things, ACS testimony last week emphasized the dependence of many of the federal agencies and of industry on the discipline-oriented information-accession systems that OSIS funding has helped develop over the years. Dr. Crawford noted that "OSIS has had a good record in stimulating important innovations," adding that there are programs now starting into development that depend on continued OSIS support. However, Dr. Crawford said that scientific societies do not have the resources to develop the information systems and indicated that federal support is essential. Hence, ACS asks, "on behalf of the U.S. scientific and technical community," that the budget for OSIS be identified specifically in the appropriations bill at the $8.3 million level provided for in the authorization bill and that "NSF be instructed to reinstate the long-es-
It may be ethylene dibromide—not lead—that "poisons" noble metal oxidation catalysts when leaded fuel is burned in engines equipped with catalytic converters. So says Dr. B. Maxwell Teague, chief research scientist at Chrysler Corp. According to Dr. Teague, test results suggest that leaded gasoline— without ethylene dibromide, which, along with ethylene dichloride, is added as a "scavenger" to prevent lead deposits in the engine—could be used successfully with platinum or palladium catalysts. He emphasizes that the data, based on engine dynamometer tests, are preliminary and must be confirmed by on-theroad vehicle tests. But "because of the social and economic issues involved in these findings, Chrysler is making this new knowledge immediately available to the various industries and to the Government for further study." Dr. Teague cites the following results obtained from 300-hour dynamometer endurance tests (equivalent to about 20,000 miles of vehicle operation): When fuel containing 1.5 grams of lead per gallon but no scavenger was used, the catalyst's efficiency in oxidizing hydrocarbons was comparable to that with unleaded gasoline, even though lead deposits did build up on the catalyst. Similar results were obtained in other tests of catalyst efficiency with carbon monoxide. But whenever ethylene dibromide was present—even in unleaded fuel—the catalyst's ability to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide was severely impaired. The Chrysler scientist notes that bromine is one of the few elements that attack platinum and palladium. He surmises that ethylene dibromide reacts with the noble metals to form platinum and palladium hexabromides, and that it is these compounds that reduce catalytic activity. When fuels without ethylene dibromide are used, the hexabromides are purged from the sys-
tem and catalytic activity is restored. General Motors and Ford Motor say they haven't seen the Chrysler data yet. Ford calls the report "interesting and worthy of investigation by both the automobile and petroleum industries." GM comments that "evidence gathered in our laboratories shows that when catalysts are poisoned, large concentrations of lead have built up on the catalyst, and the poisoning is directly related to the lead concentration, not the bromide concentration." Chrysler admits that its test results contradict the conventional wisdom but declares that, after many rechecks, "our researchers are satisfied with our findings at this time."
Ecologiste may block Puerto Rico superport The prospect that a superport, with its adjacent refineries, will be built soon on the western coast of Puerto Rico may dim if a now-embryonic environmentalist court suit goes forward. The proposed legal action would be to stop construction of the project for violation of air quality laws. The superport has been planned by the Puerto Rican government since December 1972, with partial completion scheduled for the end of 1976. In New York City last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the New York Scientists' Committee for Public Information held a briefing for other environmental groups to spark support for legal action. David Schoenbrod, attorney for NRDC, claims that although the "complex would massively deteriorate existing air quality, the commonwealth government is seeking exemption of Puerto Rico from federal environmental protection laws and has failed to follow its own and . . . National Environmental Protection Act requirements." Dr. Tomas Morales Cardona, pharmacology professor at the University of Puerto Rico, argues, on the basis of respiratory health studies he made near existing petrochemical plants on Puerto Rico, that the proposed superport would emit hazardous levels of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulates. Dr. Morales also contends it would create few Puerto Rican jobs, would eat up thousands of acres of valuable land and eliminate many existing jobs, and would overtax the island's fresh water supply. May 13, 1974C&EN
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