1 Session 3 – Particulates & Data Handling Mercury Speciation Workshop 330 Nantucket Blvd. Toronto, Canada M1P 2P4 Rev Nov 2003

2 Issues in Session Three 11How effective is the current inlet device? 1 22Are large particles the reason for differences between total Hg by pyrolysis vs. total Hg using the Model 1130/35/2537A? 2 33Background (blank) correction schemes 3 44What event flag conventions are being used? 4 55What are the prerequisites for more automated methods of RGM calculation? 5

3 How effective is the current inlet device?

4 Does Impactor Pass RGM ?  Prestbo tests in 1998

5 Are there Large Particles in the Arctic during MDEs?

6 Pyro vs Model 1130/35  Two devices are measuring slightly different things:  Pyro measures total particulate loading  1130/35 measures fine fraction particulates (< 2.5 µm)  Difference could be legitimate coarse particulate fraction  Could also be losses of RGM on inlet surfaces  Dirty impactor surfaces  Insufficient heating

7 Background Correction

8 Speciation Data Handling  All results are reported through the Model 2537A serial port  Event Flag field tells you what variable is being reported  Internal Model 2537A scale factor allows direct reading in pg/m 3 for RGM and HgP  Combine program may be used to split of data for different Hg fractions into separate columns  Excel is usually used to average, sum up, blank correct, and plot readings as required  End result is true simultaneous determination of Hg 0, RGM and HgP

9 Desorption Cycle Results Date Time Typ C Stat AdTim Vol Bl BlDev MaxV Area ng/m :15:00 CONT A OK :20:00 CONT B OKF :25:00 CONT A NPF :30:00 CONT B OKF :35:00 CONT A OKF :40:00 CONT B OKF :45:00 CONT A OKF :50:00 CONT B OKF :55:00 CONT A OKF :00:00 CONT B OKF :05:00 CONT A OKF :10:00 CONT B OKF :15:00 CONT A NPF :20:00 CONT B OK Date Time Typ C Stat AdTim Vol Bl BlDev MaxV Area ng/m :15:00 CONT A OK :20:00 CONT B OKF :25:00 CONT A NPF :30:00 CONT B OKF :35:00 CONT A OKF :40:00 CONT B OKF :45:00 CONT A OKF :50:00 CONT B OKF :55:00 CONT A OKF :00:00 CONT B OKF :05:00 CONT A OKF :10:00 CONT B OKF :15:00 CONT A NPF :20:00 CONT B OK

10 Input File: D:\TEKRAN\TRAINING\1135.DAT Output File: D:\TEKRAN\TRAINING\1135.col Number of columns= 4 Column 1 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 0 Column 2 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 1 Column 3 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 2 Column 4 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 3 Date Time Typ C Stat AdTim Vol Bl BlDev MaxV Area ng/m3 Column1 Column2 Column3 Column :55:01 CONT A OK :00:01 CONT B OK :05:01 CONT A OK :10:01 CONT B OK :15:01 CONT A OK :20:01 CONT B OKF :25:01 CONT A NPF :30:01 CONT B OKF :35:01 CONT A OKF :40:01 CONT B OKF :45:01 CONT A OKF :50:01 CONT B OKF :55:01 CONT A OKF :00:01 CONT B OKF :05:01 CONT A OKF :10:01 CONT B OKF :15:01 CONT A NPF :20:01 CONT B OK :25:01 CONT A OK :30:01 CONT B OK :35:01 CONT A OK :40:01 CONT B OK :45:01 CONT A OK :50:01 CONT B OK :55:01 CONT A OK :00:01 CONT B OK :05:01 CONT A OK :10:01 CONT B OK :15:01 CONT A OK Input File: D:\TEKRAN\TRAINING\1135.DAT Output File: D:\TEKRAN\TRAINING\1135.col Number of columns= 4 Column 1 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 0 Column 2 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 1 Column 3 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 2 Column 4 Field: ng/m3 Cart: AB Status: 3 Date Time Typ C Stat AdTim Vol Bl BlDev MaxV Area ng/m3 Column1 Column2 Column3 Column :55:01 CONT A OK :00:01 CONT B OK :05:01 CONT A OK :10:01 CONT B OK :15:01 CONT A OK :20:01 CONT B OKF :25:01 CONT A NPF :30:01 CONT B OKF :35:01 CONT A OKF :40:01 CONT B OKF :45:01 CONT A OKF :50:01 CONT B OKF :55:01 CONT A OKF :00:01 CONT B OKF :05:01 CONT A OKF :10:01 CONT B OKF :15:01 CONT A NPF :20:01 CONT B OK :25:01 CONT A OK :30:01 CONT B OK :35:01 CONT A OK :40:01 CONT B OK :45:01 CONT A OK :50:01 CONT B OK :55:01 CONT A OK :00:01 CONT B OK :05:01 CONT A OK :10:01 CONT B OK :15:01 CONT A OK Combine Output Format Hg 0 Blank HgP RGM ng/m 3 pg/m 3 pg/m 3 pg/m 3

11 Blank Correction  Implicit assumption in all schemes:  Background mercury elutes continuously during the entire desorption process  Subtract this background emission rate from each desorb value  How to best determine this background value ?  Average of “before & after” blanks  Which readings to ignore?

12 Event Flag Conventions

13 Tekran Standard Flag Assignments FlagFunction 0Sample 1 Initial Zero 2 Pyro Pre-heat 2 RPF Desorb 3 RGM Heat 1 Post Cool Down

14 Alternate Flag Assignments FlagFunction 0Sample 1 Initial Zero 2 Pyro Pre-heat 3 RPF Desorb 4 RGM Heat 5 Post Cool Down

15 Advantages of Tekran Scheme  Reserves the 3 rd event bit  Flag values of 4-7 are available for future use  Allows preservation of 1130/35 status along with one independent event (eg: std addition)

16 Advantages of Alternate Scheme  Provides more complete and unambiguous indication of what is going on

17 Automated Data Reduction

18 What do we need first ?  Consensus of how to calculate RGM & HgP  Background correction  Flag standardization

19 End of Session 3