Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§

Programmable Thermal Dissociation (PTD) has been used to investigate the chemical speciation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury (RGM, Hg2+). RGM was collected on denuders and analyzed using PTD. The technique was tested in a field campaign at a coal-fired power plant in Pensacola, Florida. Stack gas sampl...

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Main Authors: Cheryl Tatum Ernest, Deanna Donohoue, Dieter Bauer, Arnout Ter Schure, Anthony J. Hynes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-08-01
Series:Atmosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/5/3/575
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author Cheryl Tatum Ernest
Deanna Donohoue
Dieter Bauer
Arnout Ter Schure
Anthony J. Hynes
author_facet Cheryl Tatum Ernest
Deanna Donohoue
Dieter Bauer
Arnout Ter Schure
Anthony J. Hynes
author_sort Cheryl Tatum Ernest
collection DOAJ
description Programmable Thermal Dissociation (PTD) has been used to investigate the chemical speciation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury (RGM, Hg2+). RGM was collected on denuders and analyzed using PTD. The technique was tested in a field campaign at a coal-fired power plant in Pensacola, Florida. Stack gas samples were collected from ducts located after the electrostatic precipitator and prior to entering the stack. An airship was used to sample from the stack plume, downwind of the stack exit. The PTD profiles from these samples were compared with PTD profiles of HgCl2. Comparison of stack and in-plume samples suggest that the chemical speciation are the same and that it is possible to track a specific chemical form of RGM from the stack and follow its evolution in the stack plume. Comparison of the measured plume RGM with the amount calculated from in-stack measurements and the measured plume dilution suggest that the stack and plume RGM concentrations are consistent with dilution. The PTD profiles of the stack and plume samples are consistent with HgCl2 being the chemical form of the sampled RGM. Comparison with literature PTD profiles of reference mercury compounds suggests no other likely candidates for the speciation of RGM.
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spelling doaj.art-63bd285bbb754d5c9bc55311cbfaae212022-12-22T03:16:22ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332014-08-015357559610.3390/atmos5030575atmos5030575Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§Cheryl Tatum Ernest0Deanna Donohoue1Dieter Bauer2Arnout Ter Schure3Anthony J. Hynes4Division of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USADivision of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USADivision of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USAElectric Power Research Institute, 3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USADivision of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USAProgrammable Thermal Dissociation (PTD) has been used to investigate the chemical speciation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury (RGM, Hg2+). RGM was collected on denuders and analyzed using PTD. The technique was tested in a field campaign at a coal-fired power plant in Pensacola, Florida. Stack gas samples were collected from ducts located after the electrostatic precipitator and prior to entering the stack. An airship was used to sample from the stack plume, downwind of the stack exit. The PTD profiles from these samples were compared with PTD profiles of HgCl2. Comparison of stack and in-plume samples suggest that the chemical speciation are the same and that it is possible to track a specific chemical form of RGM from the stack and follow its evolution in the stack plume. Comparison of the measured plume RGM with the amount calculated from in-stack measurements and the measured plume dilution suggest that the stack and plume RGM concentrations are consistent with dilution. The PTD profiles of the stack and plume samples are consistent with HgCl2 being the chemical form of the sampled RGM. Comparison with literature PTD profiles of reference mercury compounds suggests no other likely candidates for the speciation of RGM.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/5/3/575programmable thermal dissociationmercurygaseous elemental mercuryreactive gaseous mercury
spellingShingle Cheryl Tatum Ernest
Deanna Donohoue
Dieter Bauer
Arnout Ter Schure
Anthony J. Hynes
Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
Atmosphere
programmable thermal dissociation
mercury
gaseous elemental mercury
reactive gaseous mercury
title Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
title_full Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
title_fullStr Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
title_full_unstemmed Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
title_short Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study§
title_sort programmable thermal dissociation of reactive gaseous mercury a potential approach to chemical speciation results from a field study§
topic programmable thermal dissociation
mercury
gaseous elemental mercury
reactive gaseous mercury
url http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/5/3/575
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