Document vVvpDVXMX8rEkbLeGQRn0pR86

DE&- 0?.-?j005 TDI T.TBRARY SERVICES aiuzbuuiui r. uo s(The fume stream entering the catalytic another plant for the recovery of hy !vt'area must be above tlie minimum drogen sulfide for use in a refinery. ^temperature for the oxidation to oc- W. E. Burns, Phillips Chemical wiveur, there must be sufficient catalytic (.<>., Bartlesville, Oklahoma, pointed ' !.:sttrface. area available to permit com- out that an ammonia manufacturing ^feypletion of the reaction and there must plant must save all ammonia produced. R|be sufficient oxygen'1 available to meet The present practices at Bartlesville .6||nhe oxidation demand of the material make it possible to recover 450 tons of ' iilie`n CQllvertecl- ammonia 'each year that have a value pf\A. R. Dudley, Humble Oil & of $15,000. [Refining Co., Baytown, described Virgil Lehmberg, Shell Oil Co., Houston, gave in some detail the re sults of .experiments on the losses from storage tanks painted iii differ ent colors. It was found that the tank linted a dark color may lose as much as 2.4 times as much material as one that has been painted white, There were numerous exhibitions of equipment 'and these attracted the attention ;of the. 350 registrants at the meeting. J ' jM iosdeitv Considerations : . ' ' In Pollution Control J)XJ[THEN A NEW product is to be |_VV manufactured it behooves the _ manufacturing plant to determine the by JACK T. GARRETT ' .JeiTect, if any, of the waste products on Tpphe receiving stream. The detenuina- Mr. Garrett is industrial hygienist and advisor on ||y;i'6ns should answer the following "llj'uestions: Will the effluent, as discharged, stream pollution control for the Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis, Missouri. adversely affect human life? $2. V Will the effluent, as discharged, ..V.'i.aa'tU adyersely affect aquatic life? In dis v# cussing any effect on human life it is jfsitimed that no manufacturing plant `all Hjbuld wilfully discharge. sufficient quantity of any material to cause the wastes. Industry, however, cannot take full credit for this record. The major ice (USPHS) on some aspects of'the-: .psr-o~bklie~m_\.<Mr- rt.? E.t Jr.*iC__le_a_r_y, nErx.e.'cutive, -v receiving stream to become acutely credit should be given to the biological Director`and Chief Engineer of the ^t'qxic to- human life. The effects re- life in the stream itself. Most of the ' Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation' iferred to here are of a more insidious ftkturc. wet process wastes discharged from industry today are in the form of bio Commission (ORSANCO) in a'pa per presented at the 26th (1953). An-'' M IjWHat, for example, would he the png term effects on human life of Irjhking water containing X coneenjation of a certain compound over a fperiod of many years? The answer to |his.question is not available in many ,eases, and is not readily obtainable. |The effects of some waste materials Iked'.] ,,xe" known. Soluble fluoride salts in are- Sehtain concentrations are known to iter;',| ||use adverse effects on the bony ame structure and the teeth in humans and n oi Satiifnals if ingested in drinking water ; to l|or;extended periods of time. There son- fl?e;a few other such examples but for ulty vast majority of compounds the be- S^|long term human effects of minute rere fequantities in drinking water are not are M.known. |;;Uttle Data Available logically oxidizable organic compounds and the stream biota utilizes this ma terial for food. Even in the case of highly toxic substances such as the organic nitriles, the stream bacteria will degrade these compounds if given time to adjust their enzymatic sys tems. It is the standard practice today of at least one major chemical com pany to determine the ultimate fate of any toxic substance in the receiv ing stream. It would be to the credit of industry in general if more com panies followed this practice. The problem of the possible dele terious effects of industrial wastes in drinking water on humans or animals is not one of recent origin. Public health officials have discussed the problem for years, and have conducted limited research in the field, Recent mial Meeting of the Federation', of . Sewage and Industrial Wastes Asso-: ciation asked this very cogent ques-'V,;ip|i tion, "What toxic effects to man and ': ' animals Tbay result from continued consumption of water contaminated m with industrial wastes?"1 This state ment represents a clear challenge to industry. m Chronic Toxicity Data The situation is not by any means . all bad because chronic toxicity data, obtained in long term animal feeding studies, are available on many com pounds. These data are sometimes available in the literature, but all too often, they have not been published. They are frequently available from companies that manufacture or market' ' emphasis on pollution problems have the particular product. This type of (ion , In spite of the fact that precious that pbJittle data are available on this subject for |,ii.tbere have been no major catastrophes highlighted this very complex ques tion. Research is now underway at the Taft Sanitary Engineering Center of information should be obtained when available and used in studying effluent problems. ted. -:rom the discharge of industrial the United States Public Health Scrv- The most serious toxicity problem DEC-0'3-200 5 18:03 TDI LIBRARY SERVICES 31026B0701 TABLE I Toxic Levels of Acrylonitrile and Other Waste Components (7) levels to be used as guides jh waste Aluminum chloride. H< treatment design. Of coursd,- much gl the University could not ' more extensive work can Be done fe project and get the resu - .pound Max. P.P.M. ai which no deaths occurred Min. P.P.M. at which deaths occurred 24 hr. Median Tolerance Limits . Min. P.P.M. Total Deaths which would develop a more qomplete be of use to the plant ir story of the toxic effect on the biolog fe goals for abatement res< ical life in the receiving strearfi. These te course of the discussion: Hydrogen Cyanide . Lactonitrile 1v Acrylonitrile ;'v-.i'-Cyano-1, 3- .-..'Butadiehe' ' VT AcetaldeHyde . ' 0.050 0.100 ' 20.000 0.075 0.250 30.000 50.000 60.000: ` 60.000 70.000 . 0.069 0.215 24.500 71.500 .70,000 0.100 0.500 30.000 70.000 -- more academic studies. cost more money and take considerably more time. In any* case, the work should be done because industry today, cannot afford to be wrong. ' There are many methods of per forming biological tests on suspected *|&7gested that the Director t ^'laboratory of the Texas {stand Fish Commission be this views on the subject, ftory; which is operated b fccimpletely equipped, and f'readily, available' source -T V-- pollutants.. Industry is generally inter ^enr After, extensive dis ested in methods that are both simple , yjs facing the manufacturing plant in' pro-- -. series . of literature reviews, on, thiss . and require little time.-There are some I ifgyidirigt for: waste `. discharges, is con- subject. The. .United States Depart- methods' in. the literature for''these * ?.cerned with the effects on aquatic life. i^hVr*iVs''dt':d* ie' S\ : riojt, "m e"an;-t,1hat .t1h. e e.nff*e..c!-ts. o_ n.. ment of Hea-lth. , --Ed-ucati.on, and We.l fare, Public Health Service publishes tests. 2 s. 45 Most tests of this type are based on toxicity of a specific material 1st-human life are of no? cbnseqiiehce,' It a series of bibliographies on public to fish 'themselves. There have been !tfiej;;Ma.rine:l Laboratory was(.'decided that the wi ^gffqrmed-.hy^ plant per llarifie,;;.LiaboratOTy wit fand assistance of the Lat fflje results of this worl ni1 simply'means that the discharged sub health subjects. Some of these bibliog many acceptable tests perfected in (published' in ' the Texa. . '! stances are normally in such low con raphies are on the subject of the ef which other forms of aquatic life have 'Science,7 are shown in ' . centrations that no effects on human .> life' would be expected. On the other ih hand, these . concentrations do affect ;Iaquatic life because they are being dis- fects of industrial wastes oh aquatic and marine organisms. Two examples of these publications are Public Health Bibliography No. 10 on. "Industrial been used. For example, diatomes, microcrustacea, and aquatic insect lar vae, Most of these latter tests require the services of a trained biologist and Vine data developed $ere: used as guides in g-wiiste.; treatment faciliti ^itmiately constructed : i.-v-' charged into the medium in which this ?';:.life exists. - ' %'.j ';' Data are necessary on the effects of V'pbllutants oir aquatic life for several reasons,1 the.'principal reason being Wastes Relating to Fish and Oysters" and No. 13 relating to "Undesirable Effects Upon Aquatic Life by Algicides, Insecticides, Weedicides," In addition to the specific sources indi rather extensive equipment and time. Vntyy Plant, In addition Probably the reason why most indus ^lef these dqta were( and trial work is done on fish is because of TcjS'evaluate' the effectiv ease of handling the specimen, relative gppwaste." treatment. The e ease in recording effects, and because ,|tive was set' at one-ten fejithat.the.appearance of dead fish in the cated here, there are many journal of the psychological value in actually |hours median tolerance receiving stream has long'been con- sources such as the .industrial waste using fish. This latter reason should 'tS'extremely .restrictive pjsidered the ultimate evidence of bad journals, ichthyological journals, and not be overlooked because, to the gen-. ?fi*ijjthe. circumstances it '^-Industrial practice. In addition to this T-, -- --in, damage to aquatic life is a vio:T( .' of many state fish and game V;: = A third reason is the offense to the aesthetic senses. The smell of dead fish.' is' one that is seldom tolerated .- ry with any degree of appreciation by the public. '. Effects of Chemicals W' A'tremendous amount of data on V;': the effects of chemical materials on V aquatic organisms are available in the y': - literature. There are at present some very excellent compendiums of these data. Probably the finest such work published' in recent years are the two .'books published by the State Water ' Pollution Control Board of California. journals--of fishery biology. Many journals published by State or re gional AAAS (American Association lor the Advancement of Science) groups contain valuable references in this field. If specific information can not be found in the available litera ture a query to the Biological Section of the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engi neering Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, may be rewarding because at this lab oratory a very fine, bibliographical file on the subject has been developed. Available Toxicological Information If after'critically examining the'lit erature, the manufacturer finds that data on the material in question are not available, it would be prudent to eral public, work of this nature on fish would seem a natural thing, whereas work on smaller aquatic animals would seem highly academic. - ' ,'r mf greater limit was just .that, there have never b [cfilties encountered in fii jejf- healthy fish and other |jne life in and aro.und falls!' attests tcf'the sou: Acrylonitrile fUdiheAc'ision. . '. It is appropriate to'conclude this) discussion with a case history. Several t*.Some time after the Pp completed it was de< fmjne the toxic limits ol years 'ago Monsanto. Chemical. Com- , naiecL compounds. This pany decided to construct, facilities at -I its Texas City Plant to manufacture y acrylonitrile. In studying' the effluent ) problem at this site several significant j facts were uncovered. .' The effluent would outfall into a section of Galves ton Bay where fishing and boating I| were popular. In addition, the particu ejjedi necessary because fwehet;available in the ' smaTU'quantities of the: pjere in the effluent stres was- again performed 8 [Laboratory of the Tex . JEish Commission with j^mdvice of the laboratory' lar section of the bay in question was 'iIV restricted in tidal flush-out by the i ' These are Water Quality Criteria initiate action to obtain them. There Texas City dyke, and was commonly -.- published in 1952 and Water Quality are several ways in which this can be called the "Texas City Pocket." It was ipvch' as Test Fish Criteria.---Addendum No, 1 published done. The most common method of also discovered by examining the lit-, B&ifeA year-had elapsed he in -1954. On.e of the very excellent old obtaining toxicological information is erature that there was no data avail- ;fe|fpjects and during tl references for data of this kind comes to have it performed by either univer able on the effects of acrylonitrile, hy- ||j|r|finter a very serious : from the U. S. Department of Com sity or private consulting laboratories. drogen cyanide, or any of the known jftjcurred along the Gulf C merce, Bureau of Fisheries Bulletin If the manufacturer has the equipment waste components on, marine organ- f|Svhich affected the fish [. No. 22, Detection and Measurement and laboratory space he can do the job isms. It was found,- however, that ^ffsiderably. The specim: oj Stream Pollution, by M. M, Ellis. himself if he desires. If the latter some years before the University of -jg?j[>erch or Lagodon rhon This latter volume was published in course is followed, the services of a Houston had determined the effects of jSHgiot. nearly so prevalen 1937, however, and much of the mate biologist should be obtained to consult aluminum chloride on marine organ- Jg$hat were trapped for u ' rial is out of date. There are available on the methods used and the interpre isms for the plant.6 S.:;.t|i?-Tdy as were those u: through the "Critical Review of Lit tation of the data developed. The cost The problem was discussed with .fe'Amus work. For this r- erature" which appears annually in of this research is small if the goal of the University of Houston professor EriCAre nt nearly as signi vatje and Industrial Wastes, a fine the research is to obtain simple toxic ' - ' ' supervised the work on g'|-V)tained in the cyanide TOWOLDMONOQ46417 DEO*-02-2005 1B:Q4 TDI LIBRARY SERVICES yiU^bUUYUI Jr'. UO TOXICITY CONSIDERATIONS 19 Aluminum chloride. He stated that the University could not undertake the TABLE 2 project and get the results in time to Toxicity Levels of Some Chlorinated Solvents Tolerance be of use to the plant in establishing voals for abatement research. In the course of the discussions it was sug?gbsted that the Director of the Marine laboratory of the Texas State Game Jjand. Fish Commission be contacted for (Jus views on the subject. This labora tory, which is operated by the .state, is Compound 1. 2.-dichloroGthanft 1. 1 -dichioroethariG 1; 1, 2-trichloroethane ............ 1, 1, 1 -trichloroethane ______ ...... ..... .......... Lei! than Vs deaths 75 ppm ' More than Vs deaths 175 ppm 275 ppm 175, ppm .8#100 .ppm;; ^completely equipped and is close to a 'readily available source of test specijinen. After extensive discussions with die. Marine Laboratory Director it pg, decided that the work would be jpj'iTormed by plant personnel at the iflarine Laboratory with the advice |and assistance of the Laboratory staff. The results of this work which were published in the Texas Journal of Science? are shown in Table 1. ||The data developed in this study Iwere used as guides in planning the |5jaste treatment facilities that were iilitimately constructed at the Texas Plant, In addition to the above fuse, these data were, and still are, used' ipjor evaluate the effectiveness of the also the reason that the work has. never been published. These data ap pear in Table 2. - The experiments in which these data were obtained were carried on for a period of 48 hours. It was originally intended that 48 hour median toler ance limits would be calculated. How ever, due to the difficulties .encoun tered- with the specimen these calcula tions were never made. Because it was felt that these fig ures only represented the general range of toxicity, one-tenth of the les ser figure in each case was used as the effluent objective. ' . .. . .;. .YAiii'sstfcsSjM the variety of life that can be. suppp,rt"';J;Sfc ed it is impossible to take;advahtage;|ijfg of this wasteful chain of predatidn'.^^fe ' - ::.......................... \ Lack of Comprehensive Data : ' This entire dissertation 'pdinl^ljigjfe^. , the lack of comprehensive data' effects of - industrial wastes .on IfyirigiS^|| organisms. It alsp indicates that many scientific disciplines are . required,:, to ~<L properly evaluate and abate . water-Lv^^ pollution. The-chemical industry! Kas^|i|P long attempted to handle their.whsteyl^ problems with chemists and engineers "wjgpll alone, perhaps the addition of persbqT4kSgj||p nel trained in the life sciences and. the "j.'vjlr-ll fjifaste treatment. The effluent objec- There are certain limitations that medical sciences would make theabate-tTfMf jjtive was set at one-tenth of -the 24 must be considered in toxicity studies ment team more complete, ' Ihours median tolerance limit. This is on aquatic or marine fish. One of these an'extremely restrictive limit but un- limitations is that of possible syner Lder the circumstances it was felt that Ip! greater limit was justified, The fact gism. The interaction of non-toxic concentrations of many individual Reference! L'jV'fYrw ||hat there have never,been any diffi- compounds may lead to a toxic effect. 1 Cleary, E. J,, "Determining Risks of. timlties encountered in finding all types This, of course, can be determined by Toxic Substances In Water." Sewage and: healthy fish and other forms of ma testing the effects of the combined Industrial Wastes, 26, 203-210 (1954). . V vV ine life in and around the plant out- waste on appropriate aquatic or ma 2Anderson, A- W., "Proposed Toxicity;'"-w jfalls, attests to the soundness of this rine organisms. However, it is seldom Test For Industrial -Wastes." Sewage and '/\ |gpdecision, . possible to accurately determine be Industrial Wastes, 25, 1450-1451 (1953). . Some time after the cyanide work MIfewff&iWivas conmmpleted it was decided to dd<eterEpftune the toxic limits of' some cchhloril|||nkted compounds. This was consid- forehand the concentrations of indi vidual waste components. The other major fault with fish tox icity studies per se is the fact that they 3 Daugherty, F. M., Jr., "A Proposed ,-o;' Test For Industrial Wastes To Be - Dis- \ : charged to Marine Waters." Sewage- and Industrial Wastes, 23, il029-1031 (195I)v"V,: i||Esred necessary because no such data |||were available in the literature and "niSJhall quantities of these compounds do not take into consideration the ef fect on the predatory cycle at work in the receiving stream. In short, fish 4Duodorafi, P,, B, G. Anderson, G;- E. / -rBurdick, P. . -Galtsoff, W.,- B. Hart/lR, r.u Patrick, E. R. Strong, E. W. Surber/and'-VT W. M, Van Horn, "Recommended Bioassay Ewere in the effluent streams, The work toxicity studies do not give any indi Methods For the Evaluation of Acute Tox- -j: j|>vas again performed at the Marine IpiLaboratory of the Texas Game and cation of the effects of the compound being tested on the lesser forms of icity of Industrial Wastes to Fish" (Mimeo graphed). ` * "'TJ gjpiFish Commission with the help and Mjadvice of the laboratory's staff. IH: i&Pmperch as Test Fish IfgSjA year had elapsed between the two aquatic or marine life. To quote Dr. Charles E. Renn of John Hopkins University on the subject, "Living things are essentially devices for col lecting and dissipating energy. When organic wastes are added to water, energy is added, and the bacteria, pro 5 Hart, W. B., Peter Duodoroff, and Johri'' Greenback, The Evaluation of The Toxic- iiy of Industrial Wastes, Chemicals and' Other Substances To Fresh-Water Fishes. 317 page book published as limited edition by the Waste Control Laboratory of the Atlantic Refining Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1945). . ". ^projects and during the intervening tozoa, and an ascending predatory B Pulley, T. E., "The Effect of Aluminum |Mvvinter a very serious freeze had oc|-sjlcurred along the Gulf Coast of Texas which affected the fish population con- hierarchy of animals tie the carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen and sulfur in the waste to oxygen. It is desired to Chloride in Small Concentrations on Vari ous Marine Organisms." Texas J. Science, 2, 405-411 (1950). [plderably. The specimen used (PinSBy.perch or Lagodon rhomeboides) were -|not nearly so prevalent. Even those that were trapped for use were not as pi.hardy as were those used in the pre.vious work. For this reason the data ill are not nearly as significant as those burn as much carbon to carbon diox ide as possible with as little living resi due as possible. This is best done by having one animal prey on another, the predator fed to another, and so on. With each conversion there is a loss of energy as carbon dioxide. If a sys 7 Garrett, J. T., and F. M. Daugherty, Jr,, "Toxicity Levels of Hydrocyanic Acid and Some Industrial By-Products," Texas J. Science, 3, 391-396 (1951). s Renn, Charles E., "The Place of Aquat ic Biology in the Field of Stream Pollution." Paper presented before the St. Louis Meet ing of The American Institute of Chemical S`.obtaincd in the cyanide work. This is tem is loaded with materials that limit Engineers, December, 1953. s. Industrial Wastes, JANUARY-FEBRUAny, 1957 TO']