An Analyst's View of Our Polluted Planet

Abstract

The analysis of our environment in the interest of reducing pollution levels is a challenging and expanding activity that is attracting more analytical chemists as the field continues to expand. The natural skepticism of the analyst is badly needed as numbers of all kinds tend to proliferate, even though standard methods are just now beginning to appear. The implications of threshold limit values and ambient air quality standards are of such great consequence to society that every analyst should be most concerned with the validity of these numbers and their correct incorporation into laws. © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.