Document dnB10w3j90DZNJX9qgDyK2rxb

I ELY--AIR POLLUTION IN PITTSBURGH 45 oeneral combustion of coal. The coal used in Pittsburgh has about 1 to 2 per cent sulfur, while other coal-burning cities in this general area show about the same sulfur content as Pittsburgh's. Almost no oil is used in Pittsburgh, and our gas has practically no sulfur. s1 It is very noticeable that zinc has increased from 7.5 per cent in 1948 to 13.6 per cent in 1949. It is difficult to say how this happened. No large plant that might at put zinc into the atmosphere has been built in the last two years. There is no zinc smelting in Pittsburgh. There is some zinc casting, but from purchased zinc i metal only. We still are investigating the sudden increases. S&i Percentages of Mineral Matter in Dust in the Pittsburgh District--Yearly Average owntown D istrict Buildings and Busine Lawrenceville Industry, Nonferrou ces, P a in ts , Chemical Squirrel H ill nee, No In d u s try East End nee. Shops--N o t Muc ry West End Pow er S ta tio n , Che: d Enameling Plants O a k la n d Busine ss, U niversity, L ib ra Clubs, H otels rlington Heights Industry, Bessemer H earth, Coking, etc. N o rth Side L ig h t In d u s try , Resi Stores, Schools o f A ll D istricts, 1948 Average of i Can 1 Can 2 Can 3 Can 4 Can 5 Can 6 Can 7 Can 8 8 Cans I CcoO w J3 J3 a (h ,-----------0 01 i--t cn O -mSh 3 SiOa................ ......... PbO............... Pe203............. ......... Ah03.............. ......... TiCb............... CT203............. V2O0............... NiO................ ......... M112O3............ ......... CaO............... ......... MgO............... ......... ZnO................ ......... SO3................. P2O5........... ......... CuO............... ......... M0O.3.............. ......... AS203.............. ....... e 0 13.8 0.1 10.7 3.8 0.0 1.1 1.5 0.9 13.9 0.0 0.01 0.0 0.0 *> 0 6 j">3 14.6 0.1 11.6 4.2 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.0 1.9 1.6 0.07 11.9 17.7 0.02 0.0 0.02 0.0 O 553 6 11.4 0.01 18.5 2.5 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.0 1.4 1.2 0.5 12.4 19.3 0.03 0.0 0.0 0.0 O) *-' 23 0852" 11.9 0.09 14.3 2.8 0.6 1.5 0.7 0.0 1.8 1.5 0.4 15.8 19.0 0.07 0.0 0.0 0.0 MbuS,oJ'TVaaJ3J 13.3 0.0 8.9 2.6 0.5 1.9 0.6 0.0 2.2 3.5 0.9 13.1 19.0 0.03 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.3 0.1 16.8 3.8 0.4 0.9 0.7 0.0 1.3 1.3 0.2 14.5 20.9 0.05 Trace 0.0 0.0 <i 5Q) SQ. Ho 13.1 0.0 16.9 2.5 0.3 0.9 0.5 0.0 0.7 1.8 1.5 13.5 16.5 0.05 0.0 0.0 0.0 T s 0 83 GQt3 13.8 0.0 7.9 3.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.0- 1.3 1.5 0.4 13.8 17.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 < <4-1 O O4-> 12.9 0.05 13.2 3.2 0.4 0.9 0.5 Trace 1.5 1.7 0.6 13.6 18.5 0.03 Trace Trace Trace *3 0 12.3 0.005 13.97 2.9 0:7 0.3 0.09 0.007 1.0 4.8 1.6 7.5 18.9 Trace Trace Trace Trace . Another thing that the table shows is that the percentages of toxic metals, such as lead, vanadium and arsenic, are very small and below the point of danger to human beings. There are no large industries emitting these in Pittsburgh, only a few small ones, which have been corrected, and today the city shows a pretty good atmosphere. Chart 1 shows, the monthly average of the total dustfall in tons per square mile within the city limits of Pittsburgh for the years 1938, 1948 and 1949. It will be noted that the reduction from 1948 to 1949 was nearly as great, as for the 10 previous years. Chart 2 shows the fixed carbon for the same three years. The fixed carbon in the dust is an indication of the efficiency of the combustion taking place in the city. It will be seen that during the summer months the combustion is better than in