Measurement of total site mercury emissions from a chlor-alkali plant using ultraviolet differential optical absorption spectroscopy and cell room roof-vent monitoring

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 753 - 757
• Main Authors: Thoma, Eben D., Secrest, Cary, Hall, Eric S., Lee Jones, Donna, Shores, Richard C., Modrak, Mark, Hashmonay, Ram, Norwood, Phil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analysis methods; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Chlor-alkali; EPA OTM 10; Exact sciences and technology; Fugitive emissions; Mercury; Open path; Other pollution sources in industry; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; UV-DOAS; United States; North America; America; Open path; UV-DOAS; EPA OTM 10; Mercury; Chlor-alkali; Fugitive emissions; Chemical industry; Differential absorption; Zerovalent metal; Measurement campaign; Ultraviolet absorption; Pollutant emission; Remote sensing; Heavy metal; Absorption spectrometry; Air pollution; Emission measure; Measurement method; Optical absorption
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.10.032

This technical note describes a United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) measurement project to determine elemental mercury (Hg
0) emissions from a mercury cell chlor-alkali (MCCA) facility in the southeastern U.S. during a 53-day monitoring campaign in the fall of 2006. The optical remote sensing (ORS) area source measurement method EPA OTM 10 was used to provide Hg
0 flux data for the site. These results are reported and compared with cell room roof-vent monitoring data acquired by the facility for similar time periods. The 24-h extrapolated mercury emission rate estimates determined by the two monitoring approaches are shown to be similar with overall averages in the 400
g
day
−1 range with maximum values around 1200
g
day
−1. Results from the OTM 10 measurements, which include both cell room emissions and potential fugitive sources outside the cell room, are shown to be approximately 10% higher than cell room monitoring results indicating that fugitive emissions from outside the cell room produce a small but measurable effect for this site.