This collection of research project-highlights describes some of the most interesting, fruitful, and far-reaching results produced by the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD) during 1978. In some cases the highlighted projects are culminations of either many years of research or the integration of separate but related studies; in other cases the projects were initiated, conducted and completed in one year. These latter projects are generally representative of ORD's ability to react to emergencies, to meet requests for assistance, and to handle other situations that demand a rapid, intensive response. The research is carried out by EPA scientists in ORD laboratories, by researchers employed by other federal agencies and funded by EPA, or by grantees and contractors supervised by ORD scientific management personnel. The studies are in all parts of the nation, from an air pollution monitoring project in St. Louis, to collection of pollution-ingesting mollusks along the New England coast to samples of drinking water supplies from Seattle and other major cities.