Book Review: Phosphate Rocks
A body is discovered while demolishing an old fertilizer chemical plant.? Mummified in phosphate rock, the body is found next to ten objects that the police hope will provide a clue into the identity of the victim and the circumstances of his death.? So begins this noir crime novel set in the gritty industrial port area of Leith, north of Edinburgh, Scotland.??
Police detective Rose Irvine starts her investigation by interviewing the old operations supervisor John Gibson.? The questions build around the objects, some of which don’t really belong in a chemical plant.? The ebony elephant, the silver bullet, the Barbie doll, the nutmeg grater … as each is presented to John, a related story is recalled as if dug out of the plant like the dead body.??
Each story comes with its colorful characters, description of the operating unit they worked in, and a lesson in synthetic fertilizer technology.? And it is here that the reader discovers that the author Fiona Erskine is not just a novelist, but also an accomplished chemical engineer.? She weaves seamlessly as the book transitions from murder mystery to review of fertilizer chemical technologies only to continue where the drama left off.
The chemical plant’s main feedstocks were sulfur, ammonia, potash, and phosphate rock.? Sulfur was converted to sulfuric acid, which is the key reactant in the process to convert phosphate rock to phosphoric acid and gypsum.? Ammonia was converted to nitric acid and ammonium nitrate.? Ammonium nitrate (N), phosphoric acid (P), and potash (K) were the building blocks of the N-P-K fertilizer grades that were granulated in another unit within the plant.
John explains to Detective Rose Irvine that the ebony elephant was a gift from the captain of a sulfur ship from Rotterdam.? This introduces us to workers Fat Willy, and later Blind Willy, but also the chemistry of sulfur.
Here is where we learn of the gruesome history of sulfur production, starting with the early 19th century sulfur mines of Sicily.? There, small boys as young as six were forced to crawl down narrow tunnels and scoop out the yellow powder.? Outside, the sulfur dust often caught fire and covered the area with the pungent smell of sulfur dioxide.? Visitors to the mines would report they had just seen hell.? Fast forward a century and half, the sulfur shipped to Leith, like most sulfur produced today, came from a petroleum refinery where it was removed from crude oil.
Some of the objects trigger recollection of industrial mishaps. One of the saddest is the story of Blind Willy.? As a process operator, he misdiagnosed loss of flow in a sulfuric acid pipe as a plugged line.? In his attempt to unclog the blockage that wasn’t there, Willy got sprayed with concentrated acid on his body and face— including his eyes. “His complete blindness spared him the awful sight of his scarred face and body.”??
The reason there was no flow was that the transfer pump’s impeller had corroded away. He took all the blame anyway, for not following procedure and not wearing proper PPE.??
Blind Willy continued to work at the plant.? He was given an office job answering phones.? His loving wife would make sure he was dressed well for his new job, then drive him to work, and wait there until he was seated behind his desk.? Only then would she leave. She did that for the rest of his time at the plant.
Although the murder mystery is fictional, the stories of the fertilizer plant and its employees are based on actual events and real people.
At some point in the investigation, Detective Irvine starts to suspect John Gibson himself.? But ultimately it is the old operations supervisor who comes up with the lead that solves the mystery.
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of Phosphate Rocks, I am afraid that some readers may skip the technical sections to get through the murder mystery.? Such readers would miss a lot.? This book should be read cover to cover.
Phosphate Rocks: A death in ten objects by Fiona Erskine is available through the following websites.
FREE on Kobo Umlimited
50% off the ebook until 31st March with?BNPROCKS50
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Tulsa
11 个月Looks like a good addition to my reading list!
Professor of Process Safety
12 个月Thank you Ramin, great review! Although I confess I may be a little biased...