| Far-reaching environmental legislation | | | | valve is closed, an identification tag is |
| continues to change the way Americans live, | | | | attached to the canister, a chain-of-custody |
| work, and run their businesses. For the past | | | | (COC) form completed, and the canister is |
| decade and a half, companies have worked | | | | transported to a laboratory for analysis.Upon |
| toward meeting the latest air quality | | | | receipt at the lab, the proper documentation |
| standards set by the Environmental Protection | | | | is completed and the canister is attached to |
| Agency (EPA).In 2005, regulations introduced | | | | the analytical system. Water vapor is reduced |
| by the Clean Air Act of 1990 came into full | | | | in the gas stream by a dryer (if applicable), |
| effect with the goal of reducing harmful | | | | and the VOCs are then concentrated by |
| emissions by 57-billion pounds per year. The | | | | collection in a cryogenically cooled trap. |
| act continues to have a huge impact both | | | | The refrigerant, typically liquid nitrogen or |
| economically and environmentally as it | | | | liquid argon, is then removed and the |
| targets the sources of urban air pollution, | | | | temperature of the trap is raised. The VOCs |
| acid rain, and stratospheric ozone | | | | originally collected in the trap are |
| depletion.Air pollution is not a new problem | | | | revolatilized, separated on a GC column, and |
| in the United States. During the 1940s, a | | | | then run through one or more detectors to |
| series of pollution-related disasters forced | | | | identify the components and concentrations in |
| Americans to acknowledge the need for clean | | | | each sample. Findings are thoroughly |
| air standards. The worst of those incidents | | | | documented in a written report which is |
| took place during a five day period in 1948, | | | | presented to the client.The qualitative and |
| when smog caused by industrial emissions and | | | | quantitative accuracy of these analyses is of |
| coal-burning furnaces killed 20 people and | | | | the utmost importance. Difficulty arises in |
| sickened nearly 7,000 others in the small | | | | part because of the wide variety of TO |
| town of Donora, Pennsylvania.The tragedy | | | | substances and the lack of standardized |
| spurred the federal government to take | | | | sampling and analysis procedures.To |
| control of air quality management. In 1955, | | | | facilitate the improvement of laboratory air |
| the Air Pollution Control Act was introduced | | | | quality testing and analysis, one proactive |
| to mandate the national investigation of air | | | | company, Scott Specialty Gases, offers a |
| pollution. More stringent air quality | | | | cross-reference program for labs. Now |
| controls were later established with the | | | | laboratories can evaluate their own |
| creation of the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the | | | | proficiency by comparing their results |
| formation of the EPA. In 1990, the Clean Air | | | | against Scott Specialty Gases' as well as the |
| Act was revised to include the following | | | | blind results from other participating labs. |
| amendments:- Title I - strengthens measures | | | | By employing the highly accurate and stable |
| for attaining national air quality standards | | | | gas mixtures manufactured by Scott Specialty |
| | | | Gases, laboratories can also calibrate their |
| - Title II - sets forth provisions relating | | | | GC/MS instruments to achieve more precise |
| to mobile sources | | | | readings of samples.Chemical manufacturing |
| | | | plants, oil refineries, toxic waste sites or |
| - Title III - expands the regulation of | | | | land fills, and solid waste incinerators are |
| hazardous air pollutants | | | | just a few of the many sources of hazardous |
| | | | air pollutants. The financial cost to install |
| - Title IV - requires substantial reductions | | | | state-of-the-art controls is great.Thanks to |
| in emissions for control of acid rain | | | | the services offered by companies like Scott |
| | | | Specialty Gases and to the more stringent |
| - Title V - establishes operating permits | | | | requirements of the Clean Air Act of 1990, |
| for all major sources of air pollution | | | | the environment is on the mend. The impact of |
| | | | industry compliance with the Clean Air Act of |
| - Title VI - establishes provisions for | | | | 1990 has been astounding. Careful testing has |
| stratospheric ozone protection | | | | already shown a significant improvement in |
| | | | national air quality thanks to anti-pollution |
| - Title VII - expands enforcement powers and | | | | efforts. According to studies conducted by |
| penaltiesThe legislation not only provides | | | | the Foundation for Clean Air Progress, |
| the EPA with innovative regulatory | | | | exposure levels for ozone and particulates |
| procedures, but allows for a variety of | | | | have decreased and four of the six most |
| supportive research and enforcement measures. | | | | serious pollutants identified by the Clean |
| Individuals may face fines up to $250,000 and | | | | Air Act of 1970 are no longer being released |
| imprisonment up to 15 years, with each day of | | | | into the air at unhealthy levels. These |
| violation counted as a separate offense. | | | | improvements fly in the face of data that |
| Businesses may face fines of up to $500,000 | | | | shows increased population growth and energy |
| for each negligent violation and up to $1 | | | | usage in the United States. Regulatory |
| million per day for knowing endangerment. | | | | vigilance and technological advances in |
| Many corporations must apply for national | | | | environmental monitoring have made cleaner |
| operating permits because of the emissions | | | | air a reality.This article is provided by |
| released by their processes.Current | | | | Scott Specialty Gases. Scott Specialty Gases, |
| industrial air quality testing is driven by | | | | a leading global manufacturer of specialty |
| the latest amendments. A major focus for | | | | gases located in Plumsteadville, PA. More |
| manufacturers under the new provisions can be | | | | information on the company can be found at |
| found in Title III, which identifies and | | | | article is copyrighted by Scott Gases. It |
| lists 189 HAPs (Hazardous Air Pollutants) to | | | | may not be reproduced in whole or in part and |
| be reduced within a ten-year period. This is | | | | may not be posted on other websites, without |
| a tremendous increase since the EPA had | | | | the express written permission of the author |
| previously established standards for only | | | | who may be contacted via email at |
| seven HAPs out of only eight listed. These | | | | Sources:"Clean Air Act." Jan. 25, 1996. DOE |
| pollutants can result in serious health | | | | Environmental Policy and Guidance. US |
| effects, such as cancer, birth defects, | | | | Department of Energy. John S. "1990 Clean |
| immediate death, or catastrophic | | | | Air Act Amendments - Impact on Small |
| accidents.Among the air pollutants the act | | | | Businesses." March 1994. Illinois Municipal |
| pinpoints for monitoring are VOCs (volatile | | | | Review. Illinois Periodicals Online (IPO). |
| organic compounds). These chemicals are | | | | of the Clean Air Act." Environmental |
| identified as organic because of the presence | | | | Resources for Teachers. Foundation for Clean |
| of carbon, but many are synthetically | | | | Air Progress. 2002-2004. Hugh. "Catching Up |
| created. VOCs include gasoline, industrial | | | | on the Clean Air Act." August 1993. |
| chemicals such as benzene, solvents such as | | | | Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 101, |
| toluene and xylene, and tetrachloroethylene | | | | No. 3. Sept. 11, 1998. of Methods for the |
| (perchloroethylene, the principal dry | | | | Determination of Toxic Organic Chemicals in |
| cleaning solvent). Many VOCs, such as | | | | Ambient Air." Cincinnati, OH: 1999. US |
| benzene, are present on the HAP list because | | | | Environmental Protection Agency. Plain |
| of the threat they pose to human health. | | | | English Guide to the Clean Air Act." April |
| These pollutants may cause death, disease, or | | | | 1993. Air Quality Planning and Standards. |
| birth defects in organisms that ingest or | | | | Updated: May 13, 2002. US Environmental |
| absorb them.There are a variety of methods | | | | Protection Agency. Specialty Gases. "Toxic |
| for the determination of TO (toxic organic) | | | | Organic mixtures come in returnable |
| compounds in ambient air at parts-per-million | | | | cylander." Feb. 12, 2004. Managing |
| (ppm) and parts-per-billion (ppb) | | | | Automation. 2004. Fielding has been a |
| concentration levels. Following the EPA's | | | | freelance writer for 10 years, offering her |
| TO-14, TO-14A, or TO-15 Methods, VOCs in air | | | | expertise and skills to a variety of major |
| are collected in specially prepared canisters | | | | organizations in the education, |
| and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass | | | | pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial |
| spectrometry (GC/MS) instruments.To test air | | | | services, and manufacturing industries. She |
| quality using these methods, a sample of | | | | lives in New Jersey with her dog and two cats |
| ambient air from a source must be drawn into | | | | and enjoys rock climbing and ornamental |
| a pre-evacuated specially prepared canister. | | | | gardening. |
| After the sample is collected, the canister | | | | |