MERCURY: METHOD 6009, Issue 2, dated 15 August 1994 - Page 4 of 5 EVALUATION OF METHOD: Rathje and Marcero originally used Hopcalite (MSA, Inc.) as the sorbent material [7]. Later, Hopcalite was shown superior to other methods for the determination of mercury vapor [8]. Atmospheres of mercury vapor for the study were dynamically generated in the range 0.05 to 0.2 mg/m 3 and an adsorbent tube loading of 1 to 7 µg was used. The Hydrar material sometimes used is similar to Hopcalite. No significant difference in the laboratory analysis of mercury collected on the two sorbent materials was observed [9]. OSHA also validated a method for mercury using Hydrar [2]. An average 99% recovery, with Sr = 0.042, was seen for 18 samples with known amounts (0.9 to 3 µg) of mercury added (as Hg(NO 3)2) [10]. No change in recovery was seen for samples stored up to 3 weeks at room temperature or up to 3 months at -15 °C; longer storage times were not investigated [10]. REFERENCES: [1] Evaluation of Mercury Solid Sorbent Passive Dosimeter, Backup Data Report. Inorganic Section, OSHA Analytical Laboratory, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1985. [2] Mercury in Workplace Atmospheres (Hydrar Tubes). Method ID 145H, Inorganic Section, OSHA Analytical Laboratory, Salt Lake City, UT, 1987. [3] NIOSH/MRSB. Reports for analytical Sequence Nos. 5854, 5900, 6219, and 6311, NIOSH (Unpublished, 1987-1988). [4] NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, 3rd. ed., Method 6000. (1984). [5] NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods. 2nd. ed., V. 4, S199, U.S. Dept. of Health. Education, and Welfare Publ. (NIOSH) 79-141 (1979). [6] Ibid., V. 5, P&CAM 175, Publ. (NIOSH) 79-141 (1979). [7] Rathje, A.O., Marcero, D.H. Improved hopcalite procedure for the determination of mercury in air by flameless atomic absorption , Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 37, 311-314 (1976). [8] McCammon, C.S., Edwards, S.L., Hull, R.D., Woodfin, W.J., A comparison of four personal sampling methods for the determination of mercury vapor, Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J., 41, 528-531 (1980). [9] Internal Methods Development Research, DataChem Laboratories, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (1982). [10] Eller, P.M., NIOSH, unpublished data (1987-88). METHOD WRITTEN BY: Keith R. Nicholson and Michael R. Steele, DataChem Laboratories, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, under NIOSH contract No. 200-87-2533.
APPENDIX: COLD VAPOR MERCURY ANALYSIS SYSTEM
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), Fourth Edition, 8/15/94
