1975/04/01 by Paul E. Brubaker, Jonathan Moran, Kenneth Bridbord +1 · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Chemistry · #Heavy metals in environment #Analytical chemistry methods development #Chromium effects and bioremediation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1289/ehp.751039
openalex publication_date 1975/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
The public health benefits expected by reducing known hazardous emissions from mobile sources should not be compromised by increasing levels of other potentially hazardous unregulated emissions. Catalytic converters are going to be used to meet the statutory requirements on carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions from light duty motor vehicles. Platinum and palladium metals are the catalytic materials to be used in these emission control devices. Preliminary experimental evidence and analysis of the impact of these control devices on the future use and demand for platinum indicates that this metal may appear at detectable levels in the environment by the end of this decade. At the present time, platinum and palladium are not present in the public environment and represent potentially new environmental contaminants as a consequence of use of this new abatement control technology. There is relatively little information available to adequately assess the potential health hazards that may be associated with exposure to these metals and their compounds. Analysis of the environmental problems and concerns associated with possible new environmental contaminants are discussed. Limited estimates are made on community exposure by use of a meteorological dispersion model. Biodegradation potential and attention is also given to the limited toxicological information available.