Reply to discussion of 'A quest to locate sites described in the world's first publication on trichloroethene contamination of groundwater' M.O. Rivett & L. Clark, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 40, 241-249

摘要

Although I recognize that the additional citations provided by Amter & Ross demonstrate additional awareness of Lyne & McLachlan's 1949 paper, that awareness is shown to be essentially peripheral. Analysis of the documents uncovered by Amter & Ross demonstrates that the additional citations failed to significantly exemplify or expand any development of early knowledge of solvent risks to groundwater, contrary to Amter & Ross' claim. Rather, misrepresentation and categorization within the pesticide literature served to detract from Lyne & McLachlan's findings and appropriate recognition of the solvents-in-groundwater issue. Amter & Ross (2001), Rivett et al. (2006) and Rivett & Clark (2007) all fail to provide any 'grey' or unpublished literature from industry, etc. (i.e. beyond the published scientific literature) confirming that Lyne & McLachlan had any direct influence. The principal conclusion drawn by Rivett et al. (2006) and echoed by Rivett & Clark (2007), that the paper by Lyne & McLachlan failed to trigger any general recognition of the solvents-in-groundwater problem across scientific, engineering (i.e. industry) or regulatory communities, still stands.