DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20852

 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
March 10, 1970 ADMINISTRATION

Professor Joshua Ledergerg
Department of Genetics

Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, California 94305

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

Your undated inquiry requesting information on nitrilotriacetic acid
(NTA) has been referred to this office. You were specifically
interested in the source of Mr. Charles C. Johnson's remarks that
NTA is 70% degradable and--so far as is known--without genetic or
acute toxicity effects.

A copy of the report that was prepared by Dr. Benjamin Pringle of the
Bureau of Water Hygiene and from which Mr. Johnson obtained his infor-
mation has been mailed to you under separate cover. I am sure you
will note large gaps in the spectrum of information. This illustrates
quite succinctly one of our society's biggest problems, viz., ought
not a rather complete study be made of any chemical that man's tech-
nology intends for general environmental distribution before the
chemical is widely distributed?

You should be able to have a lot of fun with this topic in your
Washington Post column since it leads to such questions as: What
information should be required? Who should have the authority to
require what tests for which products?

I enjoy your column very much and look forward to it every Saturday.
I wish you well in this endeavor.

Sincerely yours,

Tn a Ce on, td -

Harold W. Wolf, Dr. P.H.
Director

Division of Criteria & Standards
Bureau of Water Hygiene