The Tenth Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society met to assess current Chemical Research activity in the Great Lakes Basin, and addressed to the various aspects of the theme, Chemistry of the Great Lakes. Research areas reviewed included watershed studies, atmospheric and aquatic studies, and sediment studies. (BT)

A quantitative method for the determination of vinyl chloride in water is presented. Vinyl chloride is transfered to the gas phase by bubbling inert gas through the water. After concentration on silica gel or Carbosieve-B, determination is by gas chromatography. Confirmation of vinyl chloride is by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. (Author/BT)

Airborne asbestos is analyzed by differential dye adsorption. Quantities can be estimated down to 100 mg. For industrial use, asbestos samples must be separated from interfering minerals by density flotation. (Author/BT)

The Division of Advanced Environmental Research and Technology (AENV) examines those environmental problems outside the responsibilities of other federal agencies. Present areas of concern include: organic threats to the environment, energy, land-use decisions, weather modification, earthquakes, and the development of a data base for understanding…

Gas chromatography can be used to quantitate various gases, complex organic molecules, metals, anions, and pesticides in the lab or in the field. Important advances in gas chromatography and how they directly apply to environmental analyses plus suggestions where they will be of importance to environmental chemists are discussed. (BT)

The Implementation Research Division has been formed to carry out an interdisciplinary multimedia program of studies to help the Environmental Protection Agency implement its environmental protection responsibilities. It is attempting to come up with convincing facts so that the general public can be assured that the costs they are being asked to…

A Canadian scientist discusses his country's environmental monitoring programs (by parameter and medium), points out their strengths and weaknesses, and indicates some possible directions for future efforts in the field of environmental monitoring at both the national and international level. (BT)

This discussion gives a general picture of the instrumentation available or being developed for measuring the four major categories of water pollutants: metals, nutrients, pesticides and oxygen demand. The instruments are classified as follows: manually operated laboratory analyzers, automated laboratory instrumentation, manual field monitors, and…

The global atmospheric monitoring plans of the World Meteorological Organization are detailed. Single and multipurpose basic monitoring systems and the monitoring of chemical properties are discussed. The relationship of the World Meteorological Organization with the United Nations environment program is discussed. A map of the World…

Using 1000 MW coal-fired central power stations as an example, the impacts upon other media (land, air, water) are analyzed when controls are imposed on one medium. The development of a methodology for assessing the cross-media impact of specific control technologies or strategies is illustrated. (Author/BT)

A conference convened by the American Medical Association in December 1974 heard the latest research findings on the effect of airborne substances on the body's defense mechanisms, hypersensitive reactions to various air pollutants, heart and respiratory diseases and illnesses in children. Air pollution is still a health problem. (BT)

In-house and extramural research being conducted under the Federal Interagency Energy/Environment Research and Development Program was described at the recent National Conference on Health, Environmental Effects, and Control Technology on Energy Use. Programs to develop control technology and survey health and ecological effects are now underway.…

This paper is concerned with problems in assessing the behavior of trace substances introduced into natural systems, sampling models of five classes that might be used in the study of contaminants are reviewed. Adaptation of an industrial experimentation method and techniques used in economic geology to ecological sampling is recommended.…