Evaluation and applications of a gaseous mercuric chloride source

In this study, a diffusion-type device for generating gaseous mercuric chloride (HgCl2) was systematically evaluated and applied to validate the annular denuder method for sampling gaseous HgCl2 species in a synthetic gas stream. The results show that it takes at least 48 h for the system to reach a steady-state condition after the diffusion cell reaches the temperature set-point and the carrier gas is activated. The primary Hg species from the source was proven to be HgCl2. In the temperature range from −5.00 to 11.80 °C, the Hg emission rates from the source vary from 1.8 to 14.2 pg min−1. It is shown that, under the experimental conditions examined, KCl-coated annular quartz denuders designed for ambient reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) collection could quantitatively collect HgCl2. It is also demonstrated that the impactors used to remove coarse airborne particulate matter could lead to a loss of up to one third of the HgCl2 in the gas stream.