THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK only stipulation is that t h e funds must b e used for fundamental research—work for the advancement of basic scientific knowledge and n o t for specific commercial o b jectives. E a c h of the 47 universities which will receive t h e fellowship awards select t h e candidates and t h e problems on which they are to work. Each of t h e fellowships provides $1400 for a single person or $2100 for a married person, together with an award of $1200 to t h e university. In addition to the awards, t h e company will pay t h e tuition of the fellows.
a^iwistliiMiG^i Built-in C a t a l y s t Claimed To Increase Engine Efficiency T h e history of the internal combustion engine is fairly well spotted with theories on combating carbon formation in t h e cylinders, a n d improving engine efficiency. Some of these ideas have been developed quite successfully ( c h a n g i n g - t h e structure
Sophia Berkman, Universal Oil Products Co., describes action of her built-in "catalyst" for the internal combustion engine of the fuel, improving engine design, using additives such as tetraethyllead); others have been notable failures. Latest entry in the idea sweepstakes is that of Sophia Berkman, of Universal Oil Products, w h o has proposed a built-m catalyst for the cylinder chamber. Dr. Berkman's approach to t h e problem is based on h e r theory that differences in crude oil structures are the result of varying catalytic actions of mineral substances in t h e earth's strata. Announcement of t h e "catalytic piston" came a t a press conference held in N e w York last week, and sponsored b y Associated Development and Research C o r p . T h e Berkman catalyst w a s described as "synthetic" in that it contains from 16 to
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25 different minerals, mostly silicates a n d oxides, exact nature of which was not revealed. In tests employing Standard Cooperative F u e l Research engines, "the gasoline was improved as much as 2 5 octane numbers," said Robert A. Wallach, president of ADRC. "Gasoline used today, which averages 76 octane . . . has performed as if rated a s high as 100 octane. Engines of 10-to-l compression ratio . . . may ultimately become a practical reality," he continued. T h e catalyst displayed at the interview was a circular casting of a light alloy, with the minerals permanently fixed into some 18 perforations in t h e block. T h e block with its incorporated catalyst could b e cast as part of the combustion chamber, it was stated, b u t its installation for best performance has yet to b e determined. Cost of the r a w minerals was placed at less than a dollar. Some authorities are inclined to b e skeptical of t h e development's possibilities, but one thing is sure—if it works, t h e motorist might have one less headache.
Vanadium Recovery Tests Reported by Mines Bureau Possibility of economic recovery of vanadium from western phosphate rock through a combination of two distinct processes was disclosed recently w h e n t h e Bureau of Mines released the results of extensive tests conducted in Oregon a n d Idaho to extract the scarce metal. A combination of beneficiating, smelting and roast-leach processes described in the report m a y make it economically feasible to recover not only vanadium b u t phosphorus as well from a vast tonnage of western phosphate rock, according to the authors, Lloyd H. Banning, metallurgist, and R. T. C. Rasmussen, chief of the bureau's ferrous metals branch at Albany, Ore. Vanadium, which is on the Munitions Board's strategic and critical list, is used largely in tool steels, engineering and high strength structural steels, and wear-resistant cast iron. About three fifths of t h e domestic vanadium-yielding phosphate rock is located in formations in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, a n d Utah. Besides t h e United States, world production of vanadium is limited almost entirely to Peru, Northern Rhodesia, a n d Southwest Africa. Copies of Report of Investigations 4822, may b e obtained from t h e Bureau of Mines, Publications Distribution Section, 4800 Forbes St., Pittsburgh 13, Pa.
Fermentation Process Yields B12 Supplement A commercial source of vitamin Bt2 for supplemental use in feeds has b e e n announced by t h e U. S. Department of Agriculture's Western Regional Research Laboratory. T h e procedure for making t h e material utilizes selected strains of Bacillus megatherium in fermenting sugar-containing by-products. Chief component of t h e
CHEMICAL
bacterial medium is molasses, v.'-it whey from cheese m a n u f a c t u r e is also used. Commercial ammonia is u s e d as t h e nitrogen source, and minor a m o u n t s of mineral nutrients are required, W R R L states. A t o n of sugar-beet molasses, containing 1000 pounds of sucrose, is reported t o yield 500 pounds of p r o d u c t containing 4000 milligrams of vitamin B12. This is said t o be sufficient to s u p p l e m e n t 250 to 5 0 0 tons of food. Research leading to t h e development of die process was carried out at W R R L i n cooperation with the W a s h i n g t o n State College department of p o u l t r y h u s b a n d r y a n d t h e Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Pullman, Wash. T h e material is being p r o d u c e d in commercial quantities b y Pacific Yeast Products, W a s c o , Calif., a n d Atlantic Yeast Co., Brooklyn, N . Y.
Standard Samples The American Petroleum Institute has annolmced that 1,1,2,2-tetramethylcyclop r o p a n e , 5-methyl-l-hexene, 3-ethyl-2p e n t e n e , and 2,2-dimethyl-c£s-3-hexene a r e n o w available as s t a n d a r d samples. F u r t h e r details on cost, size of sample, a n d ordering are available from Frederick D . Rossini, Carnegie Institute of Technology, D e p a r t m e n t of Chemistry, Pittsburgh 13, Pa.
s^iEiSMii Versene Salt Used in Treating H e a v y Metai Poisoning The possibility of u s i n g disodium calcium Versenate for t h e t r e a t m e n t of heavy metal poisoning has b e e n suggested by t w o Washington, D . C , scientists, Samuel P . Bessman, physician at Children's Hospital, a n d Martin Rubin, biochemist at Georgetown Medical Center. In tests with animals it was found t h a t ingested heavy metal ions replaced the calcium ions to form a complex with t h e Versene salt which -was then excreted. The sodium calcium salt is preferred, since calcium is excreted i n addition to t h e heavy metal if only the sodium salt is used. T h e material was u s e d with success recently in treating a h u m a n patient, t h e victim of lead poisoning. Dr. Rubin prepared t h e chemical from Versene supplied b y Bersworth Chemical Co. ( s e e C&EN, Jan. 8, 1 9 5 1 , p a g e 9 9 ) .
N e w Antitubercular Drug Effective on Some Patients The development of a chemical compound, related to niacin, for t h e t r e a t m e n t of pulmonary tuberculosis has b e e n ann o u n c e d by Lederle Laboratories. T h e compound, called aldinamide, w a s r e ported to be effective i n die laboratory against strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis which h a d beoome resistant to streptomycin.
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