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65
Atmospheric
pollution.
The work on atmospheric pollution which has been carried 011 systematically
for some years has been continued and considerably extended during the period
under review. In connection with the scheme by which the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research of His Majesty's Government became responsible for coordinating
local observations of atmospheric pollution and for carrying out researches
into the nature of pollution and the best methods of measurement, the results of
much of this work have been communicated to that department and will in due course
be incorporated in its annual report. Briefly the methods of examination now in
use are:—
(a) monthly analysis of the contents of rain-water deposit gauges at 12
different stations ;
(b) daily volumetric determination of the average sulphur dioxide content
of the air at. seven stations ;
(c) monthly determination by the lead peroxide "candle" method of the
atmospheric pollution by sulphur dioxide at 19 stations ;
(d) hourly determination of the black suspended matter content of the
air at two stations by Owen's automatic air filter ; and
(e) visibility measurements at two stations.
In the case of methods (a) and (c), in order to obtain comparisons with districts
in which the air is less polluted, observation stations have been established at two
of the Council's institutions situated outside the county, at Godalming (Surrey) and
Rustington (Sussex).