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Why Mercury CEMs?
Mercury is a highly toxic metal that
exists in a variety of forms. It is difficult
to control and measure and finds its may
into the environment along a number of
pathways. Mercury released into the
atmosphere is deposited onto the land and
finds its way into waterways.
Once in water, bacteria can convert
mercury into methyl mercury, the most
toxic form of the metal. Mercury can
accumulate in fish as well as in humans
and animals that eat the fish.
EPA estimates that 253 tons of mercury
are emitted into the atmosphere each year
in the U.S. from industrial sources-
major sources being incinerators and
other combustion sources.
Currently most mercury emissions are
measured through periodic sampling and
analysis, resulting in several weeks' delay
in obtaining test results. When the test
shows that mercury emissions are under
control, the assumption is made that
emissions also remain under control
between the tests.
In contrast, mercury CEMs can provide
real-time data on mercury emissions.
Mercury CEMs are used in Europe and
Asia but have seen limited use in the
U.S. because they are not required by
regulations.
A new EPA rule provides for the
voluntary use of mercury CEMs, and
EPA regional offices can allow their use
on a site-by-site basis.
EPA is considering regulating mercury
emissions from coal-fired plants operated
by utilities to generate electricity. Such
regulation would be a strong drivingforce
for requiring the use of mercury CEMs.
Priority, Collaboration Expedite
Verification Tests for Mercury CEMs
Vendors interested in submitting their continuous emission monitors (CEMs) for mercury
for verification testing will get the opportunity sooner than expected because of the
technology's high priority and the collaboration of divisions within the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). More than 10 vendors are being contacted about participating in
the test.
Mercury CEMs are high on the priority list of needed environmental momtonng
technologies for both EPA (see sidebar) and the air stakeholder committee of the Advanced
Monitoring Systems pilot, which is managed by Battelle as a partner with EPA's National
Exposure Research Laboratory through the Environmental Technology Verification
Program (ETV).
In addition to ETV, the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division (APPCD) of EPA's
Office of Research and Development's National Risk Management Research Laboratory
(NRMRL) is interested in evaluating the performance of these technologies. Battelle and
APPCD are discussing a joint verification program. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
and Department of Defense (DOD) are also being contacted for possible interest in
collaborating on this test. The |oint effort will reduce costs to participating organizations by
capitalizing on existing test procedures, test facilities, knowledge and experience, and
laboratory resources.
Battelle and APPCD plan to conduct a two-phase ETV verification test for mercury CEMs,
as follows:
• The first phase will involve testing the technologies at the APPCD's pilot plant in Research
Triangle Park, NC. This will be a controlled series of tests, with varied stack conditions, to
evaluate each CEMs performance. Conditions that can be varied include particulate loading
and type, temperature, mercury concentration and species. An ETV verification report and
statement will be generated from this phase for each participating vendor.
Continued on next page
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1 u 6 percentage of mercury
emissions to the atmosphere
from various sources, according
to the U.S. EPA.
Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The AMS pilot is one of 12 pilots in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental
Technology Verification Program. ETV was established to accelerate the development and com-
mercialization of improved environmental technologies through third-party verification testing and
reporting of the technologies' performance. The ETV process provides purchasers and permitters
with an independent assessment of the technology they are buying or permitting and facilitates multi-
state acceptance. For further information, contact Helen Latham at Battelle, 505 King Ave., Columbus,
Ohio 43201-2693; Phone 614-424-4062; Fax 614-424-5601; E-mail lathamh@battelle.org.
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Meef the Stakeholder Committees
Two members of the AMS pilot's stakeholder committees are spotlighted in
each issue of The Monitor— one each from the air and water committees.
Christine M. Kolbe
Water Stakeholder
Committee
Ms. Kolbe is an aquatic scientist for the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) and currently serves as the project
manager for the Multi-Phase Binational U.S./Mexico Rio Grande Toxic
Substance Study. She also serves as a member of the Rio Grande Basin
Advisory Committee. Previously, she was employed at several Texas
agencies, including the Texas Water Commission.
She coordinates monitoring with the TNRCC's regional offices, river
authorities, and with local, state, and federal agencies. Examples of her
other responsibilities include updating and rewriting guidance
documents (e.g., the Texas Surface Water Quality Procedures Manual);
conducting surveys and assessments of impacts to surface waters; and
collecting and analyzing samples from water, sediment, fish, and
invertebrates.
Ms. Kolbe has a B.A. in biology and environmental studies from
Northeastern Illinois University and an M.S. in aquatic biology from
Southwest Texas State University. She has published numerous papers
on water quality issues and received awards from several state agencies
and commissions.
Philip J. Galvin
Air Stakeholder
Committee
Dr. Galvin is the chief of eastern monitoring for the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Air
Resources and has been with the division since 1971. His current
responsibilities include designing research projects to assess ambient
concentrations of ozone, toxics, and acid deposition; coordinating
laboratory services; supervising staff operating 60 monitoring sites; and
participating in the development of a comprehensive data management
system for air monitoring. He also serves as the division's liaison with
other states, federal agencies, and academia on regional pollution
transport issues and joint research projects.
Dr. Galvin has a B.S. degree in biology and chemistry and M.S. and
Ph.D degrees in atmospheric sciences from the State University of New
York at Albany. His current research projects include measuring toxic
trace metals and monitoring for ozone precursors, toxic organics and
metals, and visibility and aerosols. He has published papers reporting
results of his work and is a member of several professional
organizations, including the Air and Waste Management Association.
Continued from previous page
• Mercury CEMs that demonstrate
reasonable performance in the first phase
can participate in the second phase, which
will test the technologies at a full-scale
facility(s). This phase may be conducted in
collaboration with DOE and DOD testing
organizations. An ETV verification report
and statement will also be issued to each
vendor participating in this phase.
Mercury CEM vendors will be invited to
attend a meeting in March to discuss
previous testing experience and ETV
verification test procedures. Vendors
interested in attending the mercury CEMs
planning meeting or who want additional
information should contact Tom Kelly at
Battelle (614-424-3495 or e-mail
kellyt@battelle.org).
Note to Vendors:
For additional information about upcoming
verification tests, please contact the following
Battelle staff:
General information about all AMS
verification tests-Tom Kelly, 614-424-3495 or
kellyt@b attelle. org.
On-line turbidimeters, fine particulate
monitors, —Ken Cowen, 614-424-5547 or
cowenk@battelle.org.
Optical open-path monitors—Jeff Myers, 614-
424-7705 or myersjd@battelle.org.
Portable water analyzers— Adam Abbgy, 614-
424-5484 or abbgya@battelle.org.
March 9-10,2000
Meeting of AMS Pilot's Air Stakeholder
Committee, Denver, CO
March 12-17, 2000
PITTCON©00, New Orleans, LA
March 23-24, 2000
Meeting of AMS Pilot's Water Stakeholder
Committee, Charleston, SC
June 18-22, 2000
A&WMA 93rd Annual Meeting &
Exhibition, Salt Lake City, UT
Visit the AMS pilot on the Web at
http://www.epa.gov/etv/07/07_main.htm.
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