Colorado court involvement in chemical spill clean-up activities

Judicial involvement was utilized to force the owners of a pesticide formulation plant to decontaminate property that had been covered with toxic pesticides having the potential to contaminate both surface and groundwater supplies in the East Denver metropolitan area. This case represented the first use of the Colorado state court system in dealing with a hazardous waste "spill." In this case, judicial intervention was unsatisfactory because of the delays involved. Other courses of action will be considered in future cases of a similar nature.

Organic compounds near dumpsites in Niagara Falls, New York

Water and sediment samples were taken from sites adjacent to hazardous waste disposal areas in Niagara Falls, New York. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. The following compounds were identified: chlorobenzenes, chlorotoluenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives, cyclohexane derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, trichlorophenol and other phenols, benzotrifluorides, mirex and phenothiazine. A large number of benzyl derivatives and unusual fluorinated compounds were also found; they were probably waste by-products of industrial chemical production. The hazardous waste disposal sites were probably the major sources for most of the compounds.

Mutagenicity of constituents identified in pulp and paper mill effluents using the Salmonella/mammalian-microsome assay

About 300 compounds have been reported in the literature as constituents of pulp-mill effluent. Previously, in our screening program, 10 resin acids identified in effluent were examined for potential mutagenicity in the Salmonella/mammalian-microsome assay. Neoabietic acid was the only resin acid which was found to be mutagenic. Now, a program to screen for mutagenicity of 48 additional compounds, belonging to chemical classes of chlorinated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, aldehydes, quinones, and carboxylic acids, has been completed. Only 2 of these compounds, tetrachloropropene and pentachloropropene, were found to be mutagenic, showing dose-related increases in His+ reversion mutations, in the standard Salmonella test. Metabolic activation with a preparation of Aroclor 1254-induced liver homogenate (S9) greatly reduced the mutagenic responses of these 2 compounds. Modifications of the Salmonella test for volatile mutagens enabled the detection of the mutagenicity of 3 additional chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons dichloromethane, dichloroethane and trichloroethane.

[Chlorinated hydrocarbons in sewage sludge from a plant in Oslo (author's transl)]

Samples of sewage sludge from a plant in Oslo were analysed by gaschromatography for persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons. Polychlorinated bifenyls (PCBs) were found in all samples. In 1972 the mean value was 0.9 +/- 0.24 ppm PCBs, while the corresponding value two years later was 0.3 +/- 0.14 ppm. It is suggested that the observed decrease is connected with the restrictions of industrial use of PCBs from 1973. The samples from 1974 were also analysed for phtalic acid esters. Residues of dimethyl-(DMP), diethyl-(DEP), dibutyl-(DBP) and diethylhexcyl-phtalate (DEHP) were found. Mean concentrations of DEHP and DBP were found to be 27 and 13 ppm respectively. The effect of the sludge treatment on PCBs was tested by comparing sewage coming into the plant with cleaned water leaving the plant. Between 50 and 85 percent of total PCBs remained in the water after the cleaning process. The total amount of PCBs in the sewage sludge per year was calculated to be about 2 kg.

Identification of cocarcinogens and promoters in industrial discharges into and in the Illinois River

Organic compounds were isolated from grab or composite samples of industrial and municipal discharges and of the Illinois River by liquid-liquid extraction or adsorption on activated carbon or XAD-2 resin columns. Of the 213 different compounds identified and semiquantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in 16 samples, 74 were long-chain hydrocarbons or their derivatives. Although their toxicological significance in the environment at the levels found is unknown, the widespread presence of these cocarcinogens and promoters (often found in conjunction with known initiators) may make them significant environmental toxicants. Some evidence for this is the fact that serial dilutions of the extracts were highly toxic to Salmonella typhimurium in the Ames assay, while weak mutagenicity was occasionally detected.

The acute industrial effluent toxicity to fresh water fish

There was a direct relationship between the concentration of industrial effluent and the chloride, ammoniacal nitrogen and carbon dioxide content of water, but no correlation with pH and dissolved oxygen. The effect of various concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20 ppm) of electroplating waste on liver, muscle, brain and kidney glycogen and on serum glucose and lactate was studied in nine fish species. Glycogenolysis was higher in major carps than in cat fish or murrels. The lowest level of glycogen was recorded in muscle, followed by liver, kidney and brain. There was an inverse relationship between the concentration of waste and the decrease in liver and muscle glycogen. There was a direct relationship between the concentration of waste and levels of serum glucose and lactate, which were higher in major carps than snake headed or cat fish.

Growth of rhizobia in protein hydrolysates

Sixteen nitrogen-rich agricultural and industrial wastes and by-products, such as vegetable waste, lasora (Cordia myxa L.), meat waste, water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) husks were partially hydrolysed to amino acids with the help of acetic acid of 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20% concentration. In general, 10-20% acetic acid gave the highest amounts of amino acids. Each protein hydrolysate, separately or/and in proper combination, was substituted with the nutrient yeast extract in equal concentration (mg/ml) in yeast extract mannitol (YEM) medium. The growth of Rhizobium spp. was observed over a period of 5 or 7 days with determination of turbidity at 700 nm. High optical densities, but somewhat inferior to the control, were obtained in the case of medium consisting of hydrolysate of water-hyacinth, vegetable waste, pea husk, mixed leaves, and corn steep liquor substrates separately at different concentration of acid, but the medium consisting of hydrolysates of pea husk and water-hyacinth (5% acetic acid) in equal proportions showed similar growth to that with the YEM medium in the case of both Rhizobium spp.

Botanically what is raw cotton dust?

The objective of this study was to determine the specific botanical ingredients present in respirable raw cotton dust. Significant differences in content of gross leaflike (bractcontaining) trash were found between several grade divisions of raw cottons. For example, higher grades of raw cotton (strict low middling = SLM) contained less leaflike trash than lower grade cottons (low middling = LM). The potential for production of fine particulate from botanical trash materials plus lint and linters was determined in the laboratory by an abrasive milling test. Bract and wood fragments were the most friable of all plant materials found in raw cottons whereas seed meat, lint, linters and seed coat were the least friable. Respirable (10 less than 10 micrometers) raw cotton dusts associated with the processing of middling, SLM and LM raw cottons were predicted to contain the following % weight composition of specific vegetable ingredients: leaflike = 70--72%, stem = 13--18%, bark = 3--8%, exocarp-mesocarp = 3.6%, endocarp = 1--2% and seed = 0.5--2%. Bract is the most abundant component in respirable raw cotton dust.

Levels of benzo(a)pyrene in oil shale industry wastes, some bodies of water in the Estonian S.S.R. and in water organisms

Data on the content of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) in oil shale industry wastewater, the effectiveness of various effluent treatment processes (evaporation, extraction with butyl acetate, trickling filters, aeration tanks) in reducing the level of BP in oil shale wastewater, the level of BP in various bodies of water of Estonia, and in fish and other water organisms are reviewed. The quantitative determination of BP in concentrated diethyl ether extracts of water samples was carried out by ultraviolet and spectroluminescence procedures by use of the quasi-linear spectra at -196 degrees C in solid paraffins. It has been found that oil shale industry wastewater contains large amounts of BP. The most efficient purification process for removing the BP in oil shale industry phenol water is extraction with butyl acetate. The level of BP in the rivers of the oil shale industry area is comparatively higher than in other bodies of water of the Republic. The concentration of BP in the lakes of the Estonian S.S.R. is on the whole insignificant. Even the maximum concentration found in our lakes is as a rule less than the safety limit for BP in bodies of water (0.005 microgram/l). During water is treated at the waterworks. The effectiveness of the water treatment in reducing the level of BP varies from 11 to 88%. Filtration was found to be the most effective treatment. About 20 samples of fish from nine bodies of water in Estonia have been analyzed for content of BP. The average content of BP in the muscular tissue of various species of fish is as a rule less than 1 microgram/kg. There is no significant difference in the concentration of BP in sea and freshwater fish. There is no important difference in the content of BP in the organs of various fish. Fat fish contain more BP than lean ones. The weight (age) of fish does not influence the content of BP in the muscular tissue of fish.

[Organic micropollution of drinking water]

This work is about organic micropollution of waters sampled at the flowing in and out of three treatment stations. Micropollutants are obtained by chloroformic extraction. It is shown that the extracts have biological effects which can be measured by in vitro and in vivo assays. The treatments reduce the total amount of extractible substances but they induce modifications in their chemical composition and their biological activity. These observations allow to precise how the problem of an eventual health effect of organic micropollution could be approached.

Cadmium in forest ecosystems around lead smelters in Missouri

The development of Missouri's new lead belt within the past decase has provided an excellent opportunity to study the dissemination and effects of heavy metals in a deciduous forest ecosystem. Primary lead smelters within the new lead belt have been identified as potential sources of cadmium as well as lead, zinc, and copper. Sintering and blast furnace operations tend to produce significant quantities of small particulates highly enriched in cadmium and other heavy metals. At one smelter, samples of stack particulate emissions indicate that as ms accompanied by 0.44 lb zinc, 4.66 lb lead, and 0.01 lb copper/hr. These point-source emissions, as well as a number of other sources of fugitive (wind blown) and waterborne emissions contribute to a significant deposition of cadmium in the surrounding forest and stream beds. Mobilization of vagrant heavy metals may be significantly increased by contact of baghouse dusts or scrubber slurries with acidic effluents emanating from acid plants designed to produce H2SO4 as a smelter by-product. Two separate drainage forks within the Crooked Creek watershed permit some comparisons of the relative contributions of cadmium by air-borne versus water-borne contaminants. Cadmium and other heavy metals have been found to accumulate in the forest litter and partially decomposed litter along stream beds. Greater solubility, lower levels of complexation with organic ligands in the litter, and greater overall mobility of cadmium compared with lead, zinc, and copper result in appreciable contributions of dissolved cadmium to the watershed runoff. The present paper attempts to define the principle sources and current levels of heavy metal contamination and summarizes the efforts undertaken by the industry to curtail the problem.

Ion selective electrode for determination of chloride ion in biological materials, food products, soils and waste water

The chloride ion selective electrode is used for a rapid, simple, and reliable determination of chloride ion in biological materials (blood serum, urine, fish, and plant tissues), food products (milk, beef extract, nutrient broth and orange, tomato, and grapefruit juices), soils, and waste water (industrial and municipal). The method consists of treating the samples with perchloric acid (pH 1) and potassium peroxydisulfate and determining the chloride content either by a calibration curve or by known addition or analyte addition, using the chloride ion selective electrode. Such sample treatment eliminates most of the interferences occurring in the samples, including iodide, complexing and reducing compounds, and macromolecular and surface-active species. The method is suitable for a wide range of chloride concentration, e.g., 5010 ppm Cl- in nutrient broth and 4890 ppm in beef extract and as low as 12 and 80 ppm in soil extracts.

[Experimental differentiation in animals of oral and inhaled lead burden from combined absorption of industrial emissions]

Trials in sheep and rabbits were performed in an area of industrial immissions in the summer months of 1974--1976, to differentiate oral and inhalative lead actions. The animals lived at different distances and in different directions from a lead emitting factory. Hematological and biochemical assays showed that only the measure of the activity of aminolevulinic acid dehydratase produces most significant results of the inhalative influences of lead. To state effects after oral ingestions the estimation of ALA-D and of free erythrocyte porphyrines were suitable. The inhalation of air with lead content between 2 and 14 micrograms/m3 reduced the activity of ALA-D, if the lead content of feed did not exceed the value of 35 ppm. After feeding a lead concentration of more than 35 ppm, the influence of the inhalative action was superposed by the action of the oral intake. The inhalative action can only be demonstrated after a low oral intake. The results indicate that inhalative actions of lead can be proven in an open field area around a lead emitting factory.