Market profile: mercury analyzers.When airborne, mercury, becomes highly toxic highly toxic Occupational medicine adjective Referring to a chemical that 1. Has a median lethal dose–LD50 of ≤ 50 mg/kg when administered orally to 200-300 g albino rats 2. if inhaled. Exposure to vapors released from burning fossil fuels or from organic compounds such as methylmercury can cause brain or kidney problems, and in sufficient quantities may lead to death. Even an old thermometer, if broken, can contaminate con·tam·i·nate v. 1. To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture. 2. To expose to or permeate with radioactivity. con·tam·i·nant n. the air in a room enough to make it hazardous. Because of this, the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ) and the US Occupational Safety. and Health Administration has set strict exposure limits for mercury. Mercury analyzers are used by environmental agencies, in industries that work with metals, such as mining and plating facilities, as well as in places where organic materials are combusted, such as coal-fired power plants and municipal and medical waste incinerators. Some analyzers are highly portable, while others are large, stationary products that are meant to continuously monitor readings of workplace air and emissions. To calculate atmospheric mercury content, dedicated analyzers draw a measured volume of air into a channel. As the sample passes through the instrument, a lamp emits wavelengths specific to mercury (253.7 nm) and observes the resulting excitation. This process, called cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy In analytical chemistry, Atomic absorption spectroscopy is a technique for determining the concentration of a particular metal element in a sample. Atomic absorption spectroscopy can be used to analyse the concentration of over 62 different metals in a solution. (CVAAS CVAAS Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry CVAAS Central Valley Alliance of Atheists and Skeptics (California) CVAaS Consumer Venture Advice and Services (website) ), is most frequently used to test air samples. Cold vapor atomic fluorescence (CVAF), which is a more sensitive technique, is often used for testing mercury in water or solids, although it can be adapted for atmospheric applications. Portable analyzers sometimes make use of a gold cartridge or film, to which gaseous mercury, adheres at room temperature. After becoming coated, the trap is heated, releasing a stream of mercury into an optical cell where its volume is calculated. Most manufacturers of analyzers for testing air samples tend to be relatively small and narrow in focus. Canadian company Tekran offers the Model 2537A, which can conduct continuous measurements. Using CVAF, the 2537A has a detection limit of less than 0.1 ng/m3. Genesis Laboratory Systems (formerly Thermo Vision Colorado) offers the portable Hg253, which automatically stamps readings with time and date. Because it makes use of CVAAS, the Hg 253 can avoid false positives possible with gold conductivity. In April, Thermo Electron Thermo Electron Corporation (TMO (NYSE)) (incorporated 1956) is a major provider of analytical instruments and services for a variety of domains. Thermo has revenues of over $2 billion, and employs 11,000 people in 30 countries. and environmental technology company ADA-ES signed an agreement to develop a continuous emission monitoring system for mercury in flue gas Flue gas is gas that exits to the atmosphere via a flue, which is a pipe or channel for conveying exhaust gases from a fireplace, oven, furnace, boiler or steam generator. Quite often, it refers to the combustion exhaust gas produced at power plants. . The deal comes three months after the EPA proposed the Utility Mercury Reductions Rule for power plants. A number of states have argued the new Federal laws are too lax, and in May, Massachusetts instituted its own, stricter legislation requiring power plants to cut 85% of their mercury emissions by 2008 and 95% by 2012. Other companies that manufacture mercury vapor analyzers include Arizona Instrument; Brooks Rand; Mercury Instruments GmbH; and Seefelder Mebtechnik GmbH, whose products are distributed in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. by EcoChem Analytics. Mercury Analyzers At a Glance: Leading Suppliers * Mercury Instruments * Seefelder Messtechnik * Tekran Largest Markets * Chemical * Environmental * Government |
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