CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING
NEWS WMiTKB ,T, MURPHY. F < f e The Preliminary
Mtommra Report
JL HE preliminary report on the Donora disaster, released on Oct. 14, gives every evidence of being a factual statement of causes and effects of one of the most severe cases of concentrated air contamination in the history of the world. Unquestionably, this detailed report adds materially to our knowledge on atmospheric pollution. However, to quote the words of Oscar R. Ewing, Federal Security Administrator, presiding at the press conference at which the report was released, "Obviously, although we can make recommendations t o prevent a recurrence of the Donora tragedy, we cannot make recommendations for the elimination of long-range effects in industrial communities until we know the exact nature and effect of what it is w e want to eliminate." T h e 25-man field team from the Public Health Service's Division of Industrial Hygiene sent to Donora included physicians, engineers, chemists, nurses, dentists, statisticians, and other technicians. I n addition, this research group was given the active services of specialists from the U. S. Weather Bureau and the cooperation of industrial, labor, and government groups. I n short, the study represents the greatest over-all research effort ever made in a relatively short period of time t o find ways and means of eliminating atmospheric pollution. It is obvious that even this mass attack on the problem has not resulted in providing communities and industry with all the final answers, and continuing research must be conducted by industry and government agencies. W e are happy t o report that our sister publication, industrial and Engineering Chemistry, will p r e s e n t in its November issue a 110-page symposium on the subject of "Atmospheric Contamination"—one of the most exhaustive research reports of the problem ever made. T h e symposium, originally presented at the 1949 spring meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY in San
Francisco
under the sponsorship of the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, consists of approximately 20 articles dealing with various scientific and technical phases of atmospheric pollution written b y outstanding experts in this field. Like the Symposium on Industrial W a s t e s published in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry in M a y 1947, t h e November Symposium on A t m o s pheric Contamination will provide sound and authoritative information o n the extent of our present knowledge of the subject and demonstrates again the constant awareness of the Society and its publications t o the responsibilities of the Society as set forth in its Federal Charter. T o return to the Donora report, the particular smog which caused 20 deaths, the illness of 5,910 persons— 43% of the population—combined all the factors of time, place, and conditions t o create a disaster. Certainly scientific proof has been provided that contamination of air in industrial areas can cause serious acute disabling diseases. What must now b e determined is the extent to which the health of people living in communities similar to Donora is affected b y air contaminants even though an acute episode, such as that which gripped Donora last year, m a y never occur. S o m e of the very best scientific and technical brains of this country are engaged in continuing studies of atmospheric contamination. For example, among the advisers of the control district of Los Angeles are F. E . Blacet of UCLA, with extensive experience in field sampling of aerosols and gases during the war, Arnold Beckman, one of t h e foremost instrument designers in
the world, A. J. Haagen-Smit of California Institute oi Technology, with a background of experience and reputation in organic microanalysis, and Professor Nyberger of the meteorology department at UCLA, who has made splendid contributions to meteorology and the study of nuclei. I n addition to these men other well known scientists, engineers, and chemists are serving the control district of Los Angeles, and the Stanford Research Institute has a staff of 30 to 40 people, studying atmospheric contamination, financed at the rate of over a third of a million dollars a year. Under the leadership of the Stanford Research Institute and other cooperating groups, a two-day conference o n smog control will be held in Pasadena, Calif., N o v . 10 and 11. T h e U. S. Bureau of Mines is also very much interested in both atmospheric and stream pollution and has established the Ofl&ce of Air and Stream Pollution Prevention Research, under the direction of Louis McCabe, formerly associated with smog control in. Los Angeles and a coauthor of a paper in the I&EC N o v e m ber symposium. T h e preliminary report of the Public Health Service o n the Donora disaster seems to rule out the possibility that fluoride, possibly as hydrogen fluoride and sodium fluoride, was responsible for the deaths and illnesses which occurred; similarly, concentrations of chloride, possibly as hydrogen chloride and zinc chloride, have been ruled out; likewise, oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and cadmium oxide presumably were not present in sufficient concentrations to be suspected as being individually responsible. The report in its discussion of the cause of the episode states that the levels of sulfur dioxide found in the general atmosphere during the investigation are not considered capable of producing the syndrome observed. It is, of course, not known what levels were reached during the smog period, and, hence, whether or not levels capable of producing the syndrome were reached at that time. Further, it is known that sulfur dioxide can be oxidized to sulfur trioxide in the atmosphere. It is not possible, however, t o estimate the extent of oxidation and the role that sulfur trioxide m a y have played. That it could have had a significant effect is a possibility. I t appears doubtful, however, that either sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide, acting individually or together, reached levels that were capable of producing the syndrome. Summarizing, the report states, "It does not appear probable from the evidence obtained in the investigation that any of these substances (irritant or nonirritant) by itself was capable of producing the syndrome observed. However, a combination of two or more of these substances may have contributed to that syndrome." Industry, government, science, medicine, and technology are striving earnestly to find the ways and means for the elimination of atmospheric contamination. T h e seriousness of this national problem cannot and should not be minimized. Frequently w e pay dearly for our industrial progress. W e must learn t o control the waste materials of industrial operations so that the air w e breathe and the water w e drink are safe and are not hazards to human life. These problems will be solved only in an atmosphere of active cooperation by industry, government, and science. While many of the answers are as y e t unknown, science and technology, given adequate financial support, will solve them despite many obstacles.
