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