References

ACPD

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions

ACPD

Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss.

1680-7375

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/acpd-13-8585-2013

Evaluation of various methods to measure particulate bound mercury and associated artifacts

Wang

¹ Holsen

T. M.

¹ Huang

² Han

Y.-J.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Ave., Potsdam, NY 13699-5710, USA

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557, USA

Department of Environmental Science, College of Natural Science, Kangwon National University, 192-1 Hyoja-2-dong, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, Republic of Korea

02 04 2013

13 4 8585 8614

2013

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This article is available from https://acp.copernicus.org/preprints/13/8585/2013/acpd-13-8585-2013.html

The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://acp.copernicus.org/preprints/13/8585/2013/acpd-13-8585-2013.pdf

This study was performed to determine how sampling artifacts associated with various sampling methods including open faced filter (OFF) pack, micro orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI), and Tekran speciation system (TekSpec) impact particulate bound mercury (PBM) measurements. PBM measured by the MOUDI for 48 h was statistically lower than that measured with the TekSpec every 2 h, indicating that negative artifacts were significant for long sampling durations. Negative artifacts were also identified in lab experiments as the Hg0 and HgCl2 concentrations associated with particulate matter on the filter significantly decreased when the filter was exposed to zero air. Positive artifacts were also investigated. The OFF sampling for 48 h, which is likely to be associated with both positive and negative artifacts, measured a significantly lower PBM concentration than the TekSpec while the OFF and MOUDI (48 h sampling – minimal positive artifacts) showed similar results, suggesting that positive artifacts were minor under the rural condition encountered (low atmospheric gaseous oxidized mercury and typical oxidants concentrations). The Hg speciation associated with particles varied with atmospheric temperature, with the contribution of less volatile species including HgO and HgS increasing and more volatile Hg0 and HgCl2 decreasing as atmospheric temperature increased. There was significant correlation for PBM larger than 2.5 μm between TekSpec frit and MOUDI in this study, indicating that TekSpec frit is a good alternative sampler for measuring the concentration of coarse PBM.

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