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The purpose of this study was to calculate and compare the geographical distributions of male and female deaths from road traffic accidents in Scotland. A retrospective, nationwide study of deaths from road traffic accidents was undertaken; all road traffic deaths between 1979 and 1988 were included. Deaths were abstracted from the Annual Reports of the Registrar General for Scotland. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for males and for females were calculated for 1979-83 and 1984-88. Maps showing the distributions of high SMRs (SMR greater than 135 or P less than 0.05) and low SMRs (SMR less than 65 or P less than 0.05) were prepared for males and females separately. The geographical distributions of deaths from road traffic accidents in Scotland were dissimilar to those of England and Wales. For both sexes, high mortality was predominantly in the sparsely populated regions of the north and south of Scotland; whereas low mortality was found in the cities and the populous central belt. Possible reasons for this pattern are discussed: speed, response time (both of notification of the accident and of arrival of the ambulance), distance to nearest hospital with suitable emergency facilities, and road conditions.

Methodological investigations were undertaken to determine the replicability of the concentrations of metals in a number of low technology samplers. Most of these samplers were subsequently used for the main monitoring survey of atmospheric metal pollution in Armadale, an industrial town in central Scotland. The indigenous samplers included Hypnum (moss), Lecanora (lichen), Agropyron (grass) and surface soils. The transplanted samplers included spherical moss bags (acid washed), Hypogymnia (lichen) and tak (synthetic fabric). Other samplers were added for purposes of comparison: translated flat moss bags (acid washed), another two types of spherical moss bag (fresh moss and water washed), dead Hypogymnia and a fruticose lichen. Of the low technology samplers selected for use in the main monitoring survey, all except the surface soils gave concentrations of most metals that were well within an acceptable range of variability. However, metals such as Cr and Ni, which were present in low concentrations, showed values which were significantly less replicable than those of the other metals. Of the comparison samplers, the flat moss bags, water-washed spherical moss bags and the dead Hypogymnia gave very replicable concentrations of metals; the fresh moss bags and the fruticose lichens gave the least consistent metal values.

As part of a survey of patterns of disease in relation to air pollution in various towns, atmospheric concentrations of metals were measured in Armadale, West Lothian. The first survey of metallic pollutants in the environment consisted of measuring selected metal concentrations in indigenous Hypnum cupressiforme throughout Armadale. As in other surveys using this moss, Hypnum proved to be most useful in collecting at least 9 metals from the atmosphere. Some values, such as Fe, were significantly lower in Armadale, than those levels found in a similar survey sited around a steelworks in Consett, England. However, other metals such as Cu were present in much higher concentrations. All metals measured (apart from Pb values, which showed the influence of traffic routes) revealed an increasing concentration from the periphery of the town towards the vicinity of Armadale's steel foundry.

A modified ‘Index of Atmospheric Pollution’ (I.A.P.) survey was carried out in December 1980/January 1981, in Armadale, Central Scotland. The purpose of this survey was to obtain a general picture of the pollution pattern within Armadale and an information base necessary for future detailed metal pollution surveys. The results revealed four different pollution zones in Armadale, with the most polluted zone being in the vicinity of the steel foundry; all zones were slightly elongated in the direction of the main wind axis. These zones probably reflected a combination of the foundry pollution and, to a lesser extent, of the SO2 pollution from domestic coal combustion.

In the town of Armadale in central Scotland, where high rates of mortality and high birth sex ratios (males/females) have been observed, the main industry is steel production. Previous studies have shown a geographical relationship between the foundry, air pollution by metals as measured by low-technology biomonitors, and the epidemiological abnormalities. In this study, the patterns of pollution in Armadale were investigated by taking soil cores from 29 sites within the town. The concentrations of metals in all samples were measured by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and 19 of the samples were analysed using x-ray fluorescence. The results extended the knowledge about the pattern of pollution in Armadale, and also allowed the direct comparison of these two methods of analysis in a study of soil pollution.

Methodological investigations were undertaken to ascertain the appropriate length of exposure in a Scottish industrial town for the transplanted low technology samplers selected for use—spherical moss bags, the lichen Hypogymnia physodes and tak samplers. The appropriate length of exposure for the accumulation of most metals was determined by the following criteria: detectable accumulated concentrations, reliable values (i.e. high replicability) and an exposure time within the limits of practical considerations. Because samplers gave concentrations of most metals which were high and most replicable when exposures were between 8 and 9 weeks, an exposure of 2 months was selected for the main monitoring survey.

Methodological investigations were undertaken to determine the optimal sizes of three types of transplanted low technology sampler—the spherical moss bag, the lichen Hypogymnia physodes and the tak sampler (a synthetic fabric). The optimal sizes were qualified as those providing, for most metals, a combination of high concentrations, reliable values and dimensions which take into account practical considerations. Various sizes of these samplers were exposed for a period of 2 months near a source of atmospheric metal pollution. An analysis of the results allowed optimal sizes of these samplers to be recommended for future surveys: for the spherical moss bags, a dry weight of 0·1 to 0·2 g; for Hypogymnia, a thallus diameter of 0·8 to 1·2 cm and, for the tak samplers, a surface area of 70 cm2.

Summary. In a small industrial town in central Scotland, geographical and temporal relations were established between respiratory cancer and an abnormally high sex ratio of births. Various categories of mortality and the sex ratios of births showed comparable annual trends, and suggest a possible role of air pollution.

Between 1968 and 1974 there was a significantly large number of deaths from respiratory cancer among members of a Scottish community living near and downwind from a steel foundry. The air in that area was polluted by metallic particles from the foundry.