Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury
Inhalation of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is an occupational exposure concern for workers handling elemental mercury or mercury-containing waste. GEM is also often present near historically mercury-contaminated sites, potentially resulting in low-level, chronic exposure of the wider population....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Environment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322194 |
| _version_ | 1818389655747297280 |
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| author | Melanie A. Snow Michelle Feigis Ying Duan Lei Carl P.J. Mitchell Frank Wania |
| author_facet | Melanie A. Snow Michelle Feigis Ying Duan Lei Carl P.J. Mitchell Frank Wania |
| author_sort | Melanie A. Snow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Inhalation of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is an occupational exposure concern for workers handling elemental mercury or mercury-containing waste. GEM is also often present near historically mercury-contaminated sites, potentially resulting in low-level, chronic exposure of the wider population. Here we introduce a passive sampler for personal GEM monitoring which combines a radial porous diffusive barrier with an activated carbon sorbent. A total mercury analyzer is used to quantify GEM sorbed to the carbon by thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. A sampling rate of 0.070 m3/day was determined by calibrating the sampler at low and high concentrations. Deployments lasting 8 h result in limits of quantification well below 200 ng/m3. The sampler has a measurement range of at least four orders of magnitude. Derived air concentrations were not statistically significantly different from those obtained by active air sampling but were more precise than those obtained using a personal pump. If properly stored, the sampler maintains low blank levels in high GEM environments. Affordability, sturdiness, simplicity, and the wide availability of total mercury analyzers make this sampler highly suited for monitoring GEM inhalation exposure, including in developing countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:45:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a09cfd1b30254bd8b0f7070a5f582950 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:45:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-a09cfd1b30254bd8b0f7070a5f5829502022-12-21T23:16:42ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202021-01-01146106264Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercuryMelanie A. Snow0Michelle Feigis1Ying Duan Lei2Carl P.J. Mitchell3Frank Wania4Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, CanadaDepartment of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, CanadaDepartment of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, CanadaDepartment of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, CanadaCorresponding author.; Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, CanadaInhalation of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is an occupational exposure concern for workers handling elemental mercury or mercury-containing waste. GEM is also often present near historically mercury-contaminated sites, potentially resulting in low-level, chronic exposure of the wider population. Here we introduce a passive sampler for personal GEM monitoring which combines a radial porous diffusive barrier with an activated carbon sorbent. A total mercury analyzer is used to quantify GEM sorbed to the carbon by thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. A sampling rate of 0.070 m3/day was determined by calibrating the sampler at low and high concentrations. Deployments lasting 8 h result in limits of quantification well below 200 ng/m3. The sampler has a measurement range of at least four orders of magnitude. Derived air concentrations were not statistically significantly different from those obtained by active air sampling but were more precise than those obtained using a personal pump. If properly stored, the sampler maintains low blank levels in high GEM environments. Affordability, sturdiness, simplicity, and the wide availability of total mercury analyzers make this sampler highly suited for monitoring GEM inhalation exposure, including in developing countries.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322194MercuryInhalation exposurePassive air samplingPersonal sampler |
| spellingShingle | Melanie A. Snow Michelle Feigis Ying Duan Lei Carl P.J. Mitchell Frank Wania Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury Environment International Mercury Inhalation exposure Passive air sampling Personal sampler |
| title | Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| title_full | Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| title_fullStr | Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| title_short | Development, characterization, and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| title_sort | development characterization and testing of a personal passive sampler for measuring inhalation exposure to gaseous elemental mercury |
| topic | Mercury Inhalation exposure Passive air sampling Personal sampler |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322194 |
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