Document MMw59VXaYvzyyLjBabRwx37jM

ETHYL CORPORATION RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT RESEARCH LABORATORIES 1600 WEST EIGHT MILE ROAD FERNDALE 20, DETROIT, MICHIGAN *^ May 28, 1956 Dr. Robert A. Kehoe The Kettering Laboratory, College of Medicine Eden Avenue ' Cincinnati 19, Ohio . Dear Dr. Kehoei I am enclosing for your information a revised copy of our proposed paper on exhausted lead. I have incorporated in this version, which I believe to be the final form, the suggestions we received from you and a few minor changes sug gested by others* Regarding the interest you expressed in finding means for reducing lead emission, our two test cars are still accu mulating mileage and it will probably be several months before we get much data from them, . As I mentioned before, we hope to learn from this work whether any appreciable gains can be made by the use of an extra, spark-arrestor-type muffler. In the meantime, we also are considering in a very preliminary way the feasibility of trapping lead by either a low-cost, partially-effective electrostatic precipitator, or by use of a low back-pressure filter system* If you should have any sug gestions as to possibilities we might consider in this program we should be very happy to hear from you,- ' Very truly yours, BAHsmew cc: W. G. Lovell - . B. Ligett E. B. Rifkin - L. F. Gilbert File Enel. D. A, Hirschler CC: Mr. James E. Boudreau Mr. John R. Howard ETHYL CORPORATION I NTER- OFFI CE CORRESPONDENCE t o Dr. Robert Kehoe FROM William G. Ball, Jr. a d d r e s s Cincinnati a d d r e s s New York s u b je c t Technical Paper "Particulate Lead dat e Compounds in Automobile Exhaust Gas" by Hirschler, Gilbert, Lamb & Niebylski May 21, 1956 This technical paper was submitted to us for approval. It appears to be a very thorough and competent study. However, we won dered if a semi-technical reader might draw unfavorable conclusions from the paper particularly if the summary was lifted out of context as might well occur in a digest or press release. It would be reassuring to us and to the technical publica tions committee if you could tell us whether or not the first para graph on page 3^ or the summary could mention other sources of air contamination by lead if their relative magnitude is at all signifi cant. Otherwise, one would conclude that all of the Los Angeles lead in-air contamination is by automotive exhaust products. In addition, would it be possible for the author to include in the summary a statement, properly worded by you, which says in affect "The highest concentration of particulate lead in air (16.U micrograms per meter) occurring in Los Angeles under the worst con ditions was still less than l/9th of the threshold industrial safe limit of 150 micrograms per meter." So often, writers for the popular press will use the sum mary without adequate reference to the remaining text. For this rea son, we would like if possible to see some statement in the summary which is highly favorable to the Los Angeles lead-in-air problem from our standpoint. This letter, now, is merely to confirm our May 21 phone conversation. W G B :tp William G. Ball, Jr. HE 0013009