A Device for Sampling and Determination of Total Particulate Mercury in Ambient Air

A miniaturized device, which serves as both particulate trap and pyrolyzer for airborne particulate mercury species, is described. It has been used in combination with amalgamation/thermal desorption/cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry detection for the determination of total particulate mer...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical chemistry (Washington) 1998-06, Vol.70 (11), p.2403-2408
Main Authors: Lu, Julia Y, Schroeder, William H, Berg, Torunn, Munthe, John, Schneeberger, Dan, Schaedlich, Frank
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Analysis
Analysis methods
Analytical chemistry
Applied sciences
Atmospheric pollution
Chemistry
Exact sciences and technology
Metals
Pollution
Spectrometric and optical methods
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Summary:A miniaturized device, which serves as both particulate trap and pyrolyzer for airborne particulate mercury species, is described. It has been used in combination with amalgamation/thermal desorption/cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry detection for the determination of total particulate mercury (TPM) associated with atmospheric aerosols. A standard reference material (SRM 1633b, NIST) has been used for validating of the pyrolysis technique, and a relative error smaller than 3% has been obtained. Contrary to most methods currently employed, this new technique does not require any sample preparation (e.g., extraction/digestion), no manual sample transfer or sample handling, and no addition of chemicals or reagents. Hence the risk of contamination is low. The time for complete analysis is less than 10 min per sample. The concentrations of TPM determined in metropolitan Toronto ranged from 3 to 91 pg m-3 with standard deviations of
ISSN:0003-2700
1520-6882
DOI:10.1021/ac971278l