Document rBkgaQbjZOXxBR3e80QrraVLE

THE ASSOCIATED ETHYL COMPANY LIMITED A R T IL L E R Y H O U SE , A R T IL L E R Y ROW , L O Y D OR, S.W. 1 J e le p h o n e : A B B E Y 3 9 7 4 J e lc g r a tn s :E T H Y L P O R T , S O W E S T . L O N D O N -ir> f O U R REF. -- Y O U R REF. 20th July 1951 Dr. R.A.Tehee} University Of Cincinnati, College of Medici fie, Udon Avenue, ~ r 7-r t > t t 't m t t t ' '< .; - ?r r i .a.. A v I thine: yon will he Interested in reeling the Attached fetter from Jock Batchelor and the interim report .f the Defence Research laboratories in Australia o>n sons m o l canisters supplied by from Plad^u, ournatra. he will send you a copy of the further report from B.R.L. on the canisters supplied by Abadan. I do not know what your views are regarding the possibility of extenHvig tea life of canisters, but it would appear from the tests which have been made byD.R.L. that we could easily double it and still maintain, an ample margin of safety. !qurs sincerely, L.RI33D-Df TT HE m o 0476 3 0 8 COLLINS ST., I E L B O U H N K OX l/k/2/l Operations Department, The Associated Ethyl Co. Ltd., Artillery House, Artillery Row, London, S.W.1. 3rd July, 1951 Dear Sirs, Attention: Mr.G.H.Noble Attached is an interim report from the Defence Research Laboratories following the examination of some used canisteraf'bent to us by B.P.M. from Pladju, Sumatra. \ It was suggested .in your letter SBC/C of the 28th November 1949, that the maximum concentration of T.E*DC'"Tikely to\bk encountered -at a blending plant is 20 mg. of lead per 10 cubic "metres\of air. \ As you will see from the report, the canisters were effective a \ a*'''concentration of 15 mg. of "Ethyl" fluid per litre of air. On a rough calculation, this indicates that the canisters are effective against T .E.L--at a concentration about 7,500 times as great as could be expected in actual practice5, jit also appears that this particular type of canister is chpkb'le of adsorbing 300 gms. of "Ethyl" fluid or, say, 120 gms. of lead as T.S^is. According t o \ ^ r ^ c a l c u l a t i o n s , which have been checked by the D.R.L., these canisters should be effective for 20,000 hours continuous use in an atmosphere containing 20 mg. of lead per 10 cubic metres of air and at the fast breathing rate of 50 litres per minute. This is equal to 2.3 years life in continuous use. Under actual conditions in blending plants the possibility of an individual canister being used for more than 6 hours per day, 7 days per week, is so remote as to be discounted altogether. This would represent 2,184 hours per year or a maximum life of about 9 years under such conditions. From these tests it appears that we could either? (l) Double the life of the canisters, viz., 200 hours or 12 months, whichever comes first. This would provide a factor of safety of 10 against the worst possible conditions ever likely to be encountered. or (2) Adopt 250 cc. canisters and keep the life as at present. We expect to receive a further report from D.R.L. on some canisters sent from Abadan but anticipate that these results will only serve to confirm 0000477 - 2- 36S COLLINS SOX, M E U i O U K N K CX Operations Department 5rd July, lqqi the previous findings, Untimately D.R.L. will submit a comprehensive report on their work and this should provide valuable data, not only to ourselves, but to the industry as a whole. Yours sincerely, Enel. J ,,S.BATCHELOR. K'F 0000478 3* . copy/ CHEMICAL DEFENCE SECTION - DEFENCE BESSARCH LABORATORIES - maribyrnong INTERIM REPORT OH EXAMINATION OF RESPIRATOR CANISTERS USED IN ETHYL" BLENDING OPERATIONS INTRODUCTION Four respirator canisters were received for examination from the Associated Ethyl Co. Ltd.? after use in "Ethyl" blending operations in Pladju, Sumatra. The canisters were M.S.A. Supersize Type- Q.M.A. manufactured by Mines Safety Appliances Co. Pittsburg? U.3.A.? and were approved by the U.S.A*. Bureau of Mines for use against organic vapours. They are labelled as follows* Ho. 1 Ho, 2 Ho. 3 Ho, b Canister? used 2/5/5-2/7/50? 2 months Canister? used5/5/50 ~ 5/7/50j 2 months Canister? used5/5/50 - 5/7/50 2 months Canister? used2D/50 0/6/50? 2 months (1f.05 hrs) (9.05 hrs) (5.20 hrs) C&-.2Q hrs) APPEARANCE . The canisters were plugged and in good condition. EXPERIMENTAL * Each canister was radiographed as received. were then treated as follows*- They Ho. k- - The contents were divided into 5 layers which were separately analysed for lead and ethylene halide. Other characteristics of the charcoal were determined. Ho. 3 - Air was passed over 1 gra. of "Ethyl" fluid at 60 C and then through the canister at a normal breathing rate of 16 ^itres/min. until the fluid had completely evaporated. The container was again radiographed and the contents analysed as above. Ho. 1 - 50 gm. of "Ethyl" fluid in two lots of 25 gm. were fed to the canister in air at 16 litres/min.? the average concentration of "Ethyl" fluid vapours being I5mgm. per litre. The canister was radiographed after each 25 gm. addition and finally analysed as above. HE 0000479 N 5399.02 2- - Ho. 2 - Based on the figure obtained for the charcoal from canister no. the moisture content in this canister was raised an additional 12$ by drawing through it a humidified air stream. After standing to allow of equilibration of moisture in the charcoal, 30 gras, of petrol vapour were passed through the canister. This was followed b y 2$ gras* of "Ethyl1* fluid in the manner described above. The charcoal was then layered and analysed. In all cases where "Ethyl" fluid additions were made the effluent air was sampled and examined for lead. RESULTS & PI3CU3SI0H Ho lead was found in the analyses of the charcoal from canister no. *+ as received, and the very small amount of halide detected was no more than commonly found i n extruded charcoals of this nature. Radiographs of the canisters as received did not reveal any lead. In the ease of canister no. 1, the radiograph, confirmed by analysis, indicated that the 0 gms. of "Ethyl" fluid were adsorbed on the first on seventh of the charcoal above the influent diaphragm. There was at no time any penetration of "Ethyl" fluid through the canister. The amount to cause saturation, under these conditions would, therefore, be many times this quantity. Even when the charcoal in the canister had been "wetted-up" considerably and subsequently exposed to petrol vapour, as canister no. 2, the radiograph|again confirmed by analysis, indicated that 2p gms. of "Ethyl" fluid were retained in the first 20$ of the canister. There w as n trace of "Ethyl" fluid in the effluent air stream. There is no doubt, therefore, that under the con ditions of exposure in which these canisters were used, their life period, for all practical purposes, would be limited only by mechanical damage or by the deleterious effect of some foreign substance. This latter should not, of course, be a serious danger if the containers are kept properly plugged at all times when not in use. KE 0000480