-h of the causes of reduced visibility accompanying air pollution. At the University of Illinois, a research project sponsored by the Smoke and Fumes Committee clearly demonstrated that the uncatalyzed gas-phase oxidation of sulfur dioxide in naturally polluted atmospheres in natural sunlight was not sufficiently rapid to be significant in effectively reducing visibility. The use of petroleum products as fuel is continually increasing in both domestic and industrial heating devices. Many questions have arisen as to the nature and extent of air pollution from such sources. At the Armour Research Foundation, both laboratory and field trials of industrial and domestic burners were conducted to determine the quantity of pollutants emitted. Analysis of the gaseous effluents led to the conclusion that neither domestic nor industrial furnaces burning oil or gas release significant amounts of hydrocarbon contaminants to the atmosphere. Other research activities sponsored by the Smoke and Fumes Committee have included an air analysis program in several United States cities showing that the oxident level of Los Angeles is abnormally high by comparison; analysis of gaseous compounds in the atmosphere to determine the sources of atmospheric carbon; the development of gas chromatographic methods of analysis for the determination of the composition of exhaust gases; the demonstration of a successful technique to trace air pollution from a single source; and the development of a method of detection of ozone suitable for use in continuous, portable instruments. Recently automobile exhaust has been singled out as the principal contributor to air pollution of the type found in the Los Angeles area. In June, 1 957, the Smoke and Fumes Committee of the API joined forces with the Air Pollution Foundation to study this problem. Both fuel composition and automobile variables have been studied in a system designed to evaluate eye irritation, visibility reduction, and ozone formation as well as the chemical properties of the pollutants obtained from photochemical reactions. Automobile exhausts from fuel mixtures representing extremes in composition of the hydrocarbons of the types found in gasoline were compared with exhausts from a blend of commercial gasolines. The results of these studies have demonstrated conclusively that the exhausts from all fuels tested produce recognizable symptoms of air pollution when irradiated. While some differences in the exhausts produced by different fuels were found, the exhausts from all of the fuels tested produced substantial eye irritation when irradiated, and each produced the same maximum concentration of ozone. It was further demonstrated that eye irritation, visibility reduction, and ozone formation from automobile exhaust are affected as much by differences in automobiles as by differences in fuel composition. The petroleum industry attempts to control pollution voluntarily rather than await compulsory rules and regulations. Because more information is available about the Los Angeles situation law-makers may tend to look to this area as a source for control regulations. It has been pointed out that the Los Angeles Air Pollution Control District attempts to keep its actions within the limits of current scientific developments. For this they are to be commended. Nevertheless, no community should attempt to pattern a control system after the Los Angeles plan until the need for each regulation has been thoroughly explored. The tendency to adopt entire sets of regulations from another area can lead to programs which unnecessarily impede the progress of the entire community. T104852331 Source: http://industrydocuments.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/nycm0047