Document npYkL2BXvYRZXX20Y6ayBMk0X

9 */(b/s Kmxa or air uujxbmb raroatp bt eputdci iabqkafqhip Since Aprils 1953* Ken-Tech laboratories, operated by Bar* A* R. Gboppln and Dr. p. V. Vast of Louisiana State University,hara baan asking parlodlo aurrays of atmospheric contamination In tha refinery and at our Maryland and Anchorage Sank faros. Spot cheeks hare baan aada tvlee each aonth at five points vlthln the refinery; tha Anchorage and Maryland points have baan checked once each aonth. For comparison a sample has baan taken in an outlying portion of tha city each tlae the refinery points vara cheeked. She .analyses aada Include a dust count* a qualitative examination to identify dusts and tests for certain chemicals* Including aaeanla* chlorides* chlorine* eulfates* hydrogen sulfide* sulfur dioxide and aroaatlc hydrocarbons. In addition test panels of different aetals have been placed at each of the saaple points for corrosion studies and dust fall studies covering periods of several veeks have been aada. The attached tables suamriso very briefly the results obtained so far. The data are as yet too few to give us a comprehensive picture, never theless* the follovlng conclusions may be drawn; 1. There is no health hasard. All concentrations of contaminants have been - veil below Halts established by the various public health agencies. Our' own Medical Department has same evidence that eoncedttetioas of chlorine gas approaching hasardous Halts have been released for brief periods by a neighboring Industry* but the Kea-Tech surveys have never caught any of these. 2. other Industries are contributing more to air contamination than Kaso. Our sample points are located around the edges of Ssso property! When the wind Is across Ssso to the saaple points* negligible quantities of contaminants are found. Vhen the vlnd la from the vest and north* samples taken nearest to other Industries at tlaes show appreciable concentrations of contaminants. A special surrey conducted for 802 shoved this situation aost clearly. The investigaters* over a period of about a week* found no 802 originating in the refinery. They did find sane 802 moving onto Ssso property from the north and northwest. They also found chlorine In several locations* and Isso does not have any operations that would account for this. 3* Past concentrations are not seriously high. At aost of the saaple points dust concentrations average about 6 million particles per cubic aster. This compares vlth 3*5 to k Billion particles In clean country air. At the northwest corner station* vhleh Is looated just east of the Junction of . the 8olvay and Gulf states properties* dust concentrations are also in the * order of o million particles vhen winds are bloving across Ssso to the aeaple point. However, vhen winds are from the north and vest* dust counts average 1$ million and have been as high as 20 Billion. Ve understand that dust counts made in the vicinity of the Mississippi Uver Bridge have run as high as kQ million. Sve~. these figures are much lover than limits consldered hasardous to health. For instance* the Unit of safety for silica dusts* vhleh are considered very bad* Is ebout 150 million particles per eaawvdeetmrters 11 / tVV h. The atmosphere vlthln the refinery Is only moderately corrosive. Specimens of soft steel and chromium plate in the refinery shew corrosion rates about three times as great as control stripe maintained at Dr. Ghoppin's home on 8 * Coat'd* Aubin lane* amnl alias obuthwst of tha refinery* Copor, galvanised Ivan and tlmtasm stripe alao shew higher rates in the refinery* bat eorroaloa la negligible la either ooaa* lor the atandavds of our Iguip--nt Xnspoetloo Depertasnt tha eorroaloa rataa found for steel and chroadua In tba refinery ora atlll wry low. for steel tba rata la la tba order of 0*2$ to 0.50 ag/ ot* dedaster/day* fhla eoaparaa with published figures of 5 to to ag/ot* doe./dojr for Iron la nosasl urban etaoepberes. Xt abould ba noted that tha exposure par&oda for tha teat atrlpa bare vara froa 8 to k aoatha* Moat authorities believe periods of 3 years ore neoassary to gat even tentative results* Aeeordlsg to oar znspaetloa Sapartaant there are too trouble spots for eorroaloa vitbln tha refinery. Sheen ora Knox field Bo. 2 nod the area along the vest fbnea of Cbealoal Prodaets Blvlsloa. They believe that high corrosion rates experienced on efulpasnt la these areas ore due to contentnsnts each as chlorine* chlorides and acids released by other Industries to the north and vest* Oust fall data are Inconclusive to data* She nsthod originally used proved unsatisfactory. Another asthoA la nov being triad*'bat It la too early to tell vhatbsr It vlll ba satisfactory* ' Vs have lnforaatloo on four ssnplas taken at points outside Beso property during snog conditions, svo of those wore taken neer tha Cheat cel Products . area. One vas taken oouth of the bridge ha tha Fort Allan aide and another ' north of the bridge under the Xdaal Cenent Co* land* Dust counts ranged fTan 10 to 23 end averaged 17* Xn three cases out of four aaaslia ehlarlde vas present In oU eaounts and In two cases free chlorine vas present* At tba and of tha first year's contract Kee-feoh rsaoeeandsd extending tbs prograa to have a full tins nan taking aaoplea throe days aaOh week In end outside the plant to bo sura thatXsso le not causing trouble to those on the outside, fhla recoaawndatlaa vas not approved because tbe date* although scent, gave no indication that this night be so* Xn vise of recent developneats vs asy wish to reconsider this decision* if only to prove conclusively that Xsso's bands are clean* The coot would be $5000 to $7000 shave the present cost of $7200/yr. Our present contract expiree April 1, 1955* VCAslea 6/16/5*