Environmental Appraisal: And Oxides of Nitrogen Oxidants,Hydrocarbons

The relationships between criteria, standards, and control of air pollutants involve complex multidisciplinary interactions. Their over-all impact on the public health and welfare is directly related to the confidence level held by members of government, industry, and universities in the validity of the data upon which these criteria are based. The Environmental Appraisal section of the preliminary draft of the Air Quality Criteria Document “Photochemical Oxidant” prepared by the State of California, Department of Public Health, is reviewed. In general, it is a thoughtful and extensive effort to present the current status of information concerning the physical and chemical aspects of photochemical oxidant. Suggestions as to how it might be extended, revised, or updated are presented along with a brief discussion of two new research areas of possible interest, singlet molecular oxygen as a possible environmental oxidant, and the photochemistry of mixed lead halides in the atmosphere.