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“$4,000,000 to Multiple Recipients for Vanadium Safely Readiness”

Sponsors: Rep. English (R-PA) Rep. Murphy (D-CT) Rep. Paul (R-TX) Rep. Space (D-OH)  

(1 Comments)

This Earmark Has Multiple Recipients

Because this earmark specifies multiple recipients, we'll skip the guided research.

While you are certainly encouraged to google the recipients for information on them, or to see if they've received contracts or grants in FedSpending.org, or have made campaign contributions or hired lobbyists at opensecrets, we're not providing a separate set of fields to hold that research.

Feel free to leave information on what you find in the "Add a comment or contribute additional research" box below.

RoughAcres wrote:

from http://wikipedia.com (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanadium),

"Approximately 80% of vanadium produced is used as ferrovanadium or as a steel additive. Other uses:

* In such alloys as
o specialty stainless steel, e.g. for use in surgical instruments and tools.
o rust resistant and high speed tool steels.
o mixed with aluminium in titanium alloys used in jet engines and high-speed airframes
* Vanadium steel alloys are used in axles, crankshafts, gears, and other critical components.
* It is an important carbide stabilizer in making steels.
* Because of its low fission neutron cross section, vanadium has nuclear applications.
* Vanadium foil is used in cladding titanium to steel.
* Vanadium-gallium tape is used in superconducting magnets (175,000 gauss).
* Vanadium pentoxide V2O5 is used as a catalyst in manufacturing sulfuric acid (via the contact process) and maleic anhydride. It is also used in making ceramics.
* Glass coated with vanadium dioxide VO2 can block infrared radiation (and not visible light) at a specific temperature.
* Electrical fuel cells and storage batteries such as vanadium redox batteries.
* Added to corundum to make simulated alexandrite jewelry.
* Vanadate electrochemical conversion coatings for protecting steel against rust and corrosion
* Used to make lacrosse shafts

* Possibly used to make Wootz steel and Damascus steel."

As for Vanadium's toxicity, Wikipedia states:

"The toxicity of vanadium depends on its physico-chemical state; particularly on its valence state and solubility. Tetravalent VOSO4 has been reported to be more than 5 times as toxic as trivalent V2O3 (Roschin, 1967). Vanadium compounds are poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal system. Inhalation exposures to vanadium and vanadium compounds result primarily in adverse effects to the respiratory system (Sax, 1984; ATSDR, 1990; Ress et al., 2003; Worle-Knirsch et al., 2007). Quantitative data are, however, insufficient to derive a subchronic or chronic inhalation reference dose. Other effects have been reported on blood parameters after oral or inhalation exposures (Scibior et al., 2006; Gonzalez-Villalva et al., 2006), on liver (Kobayashi et al., 2006), neurological development in rats (Soaso and Garcia, 2007), and other organs.

There is little evidence that vanadium or vanadium compounds are reproductive toxins or teratogens. Vanadium pentoxide was reported to be carcinogenic in male rats and male and female mice by inhalation in an NTP study (Ress et al., 2003), although the interpretation of the results has recently been disputed (Duffus, 2007). Vanadium has not been classified as to carcinogenicity by the U.S. EPA (1991a)."

So... why would representatives from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Connecticut be interested in "Vanadium Safety Readiness"?

- Is there a push to develop Vanadium's uses? Or do we have a toxic spill somewhere in these states, which seems more likely in former steel states?

posted November 14, 2007 at 4:23 p.m.