Comparison of mercury in water analysis using cold vapor AA and gold preconcentration/PID #ACSPhilly

Accepted for presentation at ACS Philly August 2016 ABSTRACT SYMPOSIUM NAME: General Posters-Poster

ABSTRACT SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM AREA NAME: ENVR

CONTROL ID: 2511284

PRESENTATION TYPE: Poster Only

TITLE: Comparison of mercury in water analysis using cold vapor AA and gold preconcentration/PID

AUTHORS (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME): John N. Driscoll2, Jennifer L. Maclachlan1

INSTITUTIONS (ALL): 1. PID Analyzers, LLC, Centerville, MA, United States. 2. PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, MA, United States.

ABSTRACT BODY:  Abstract: One popular method for the analysis of mercury (Hg) in water is EPA Method 245.2 which uses the reduction of Hg salts to Hg0 vapor with a strong reducing agent. The detection of Hg0 is by cold vapor atomic absorption (CVAA). Hg0 has an ionization potential (IP) of 10.4 eV and can be detected at low ppb levels with the 10.6 eV lamp in our photoionization detector (PID). The reaction of mercury (Hgo) with gold preconcentration (GPC) can be used to concentrate the Hg while removing any potential interferences. The Hg0 is desorbed from the amalgam by rapidly heating to 500oC, This amalgamation reaction turns a non specific Hg method into a specific and more sensitive one. We will describe our work on the comparison of these two methods for the analysis of ppb levels and ppt levels of Hg in water in this presentation.