Mercury Spills and How You Can Avoid Them

Mercury Spills & How You

Can Avoid ThemLessons from real-world emergency responses

Meet Your Moderator:

James Ciccone

During This Webinar All lines will be muted.

Communicate via the questions tab in your

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Webinar recording and slides will be emailed to

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Meet Your Presenter

Ryan Miller

Engineering Project Manager

Triumvirate Environmental

AgendaBackground on Mercury

Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations

Mercury Spill Response

Case Studies

Summary/Q&A

What is Mercury?

• Naturally occurring element that in its

pure form is a liquid that volatizes

readily

• Exposure at high levels can harm the

brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and

immune systems

• Mercury vapor is colorless and

odorless

Where Can

It Be Found?Thermometers

Barometers

Manometers

Light bulbs

Thermostats

Coal and other rocks

Coal-burning power plants are the

largest human-caused source of

mercury emissions to the air in the

United States

Why is Mercury Used?

Mercury has a unique combination of physical properties:

• Low Melting Point: -38°F (Lead for example is 622°F)

• Low Boiling Point: 674°F (Lead for example is 3,182°F)

• Uniform volume expansion over the entire range of

temperatures in its liquid state and high surface tension

(does not wet glass)

Mercury

Devices in

Your Facility

Poll Question

Are you storing old,

obsolete, or unused

mercury containing

devices?

Mercury in

PlumbingMercury poured into drains

can remain in the plumbing

indefinitely, until it is

physically removed or the

plumbing is replaced.

Mercury in

Plumbing

Mercury in Soil




Case Studies

Summary/Q&A

Mercury Vapor

Measurement• Various methods are used to detect

and quantify mercury vapors in air

• Vapor detection limits vary

significantly

• Regulations and guidance

concentrations can be in milligrams

per cubic meter (mg/m3),

micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3),

or nanograms per cubic meter

(ng/m3)

Mercury Vapor Measurement

Mercury Vapor Measurement

Triumvirate utilizes the Jerome J-505 for most mercury vapor monitoring activities.

Monitoring Device Detection Limit

Dräger tubes 0.05 mg/m3

Jerome J-505 0.00005 mg/m3

Lab (EPA Method 6009) 0.002 mg/m3

Lumex 0.00005 mg/m3

Jerome 431-X 0.003 mg/m3 (± 0.003 mg/m3)

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzer 10 to 20 mg/kg

Mercury Meter Interferences• Potential interferences to the Jerome 431-X mercury vapor analyzer have been

identified and are listed in the Manufactures Owners Manual

• Erroneously high readings can sometimes occur with the presence of:

• Hydrocarbons

• High levels of CO, CO2, and SO2

• Water vapor/condensation

• Chlorine and Ammonia

• NO2

• Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

• Most mercaptans (organic sulfur compounds or “thiols”)

• There are no known interferences with the Jerome J505 or Lumex meters

Regulations and

Guidance• OSHA established a PEL as a ceiling value of

0.1 mg/m3, the only legally enforceable federal

U.S. standard

• NIOSH set a REL of 0.05 mg/m3 as a 10-hour,

time weighted average

• The ACGIH recommended the most recent

occupational exposure standard as the TLV-

TWA of 0.025 mg/m3

• The ATSDR recommends risk managers

isolate humans from mercury spills when a

concentration level of ≥ 0.01 mg/m3

Clean Up GuidanceCLEANUP GUIDANCE

ATSDR Limits

<0.001 mg/m3 - Residential occupancy level and immunocompromised

<0.010 mg/m3 – Acceptable personal effects level

>0.010 mg/m3 – Residential isolation

0.003 mg/m3 - Re-occupancy after spill

0.025 mg/m3 – Occupational setting where mercury is handled (1/4 PEL)




Case Studies

Summary/Q&A

Worker Health and SafetySpills within a facility can pose a threat

to worker health and safety and to

building occupants:

• Improper PPE

• Cross Contamination

• “Hot Spots”

• Improper Clean Up

• Improper Waste Disposal

Triumvirate’s Mercury

Spill Response

In Emergency Response situations, Self-

Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) is used

to determine mercury vapor levels.

Once baseline levels are determined and the

appropriate level of PPE is determined, a full

mercury decontamination is performed.

Clean Up Standard Operating Procedure

Every response is unique, but some basic concepts for

mercury remediation are universal. These universal concepts

include the following:

• Isolate the area

• Set up zones

• Remove visible mercury

• Don’t cross contaminate

• Select a grid pattern for screening

• Remediate to the appropriate cleanup standards

• Properly dispose of all materials

Mercury Clean Up Products &

Equipment

Triumvirate utilizes multiple mercury

cleanup products to effectively

eliminate mercury vapor releases,

including:

• Mercury Vacuums

• Mercury Amalgamation

• Mercury Vapor Adsorption

How They Work

Mercury Vacuum

Mercury Amalgamation Powder

Mercury Vapor Adsorption Powder

Mercury Vacuum

Waste Disposal• The most common disposal method is

mercury retort

• Solid and liquid bearing wastes are put

through a controlled high vacuum retort

system that recycles mercury

• The mercury can be recycled up to

99.99995% purity, and can be used on a

wide variety of applications

Remediation Reports

Reports include:

• Background information

• Summary of cleaning activities

• Mercury screening levels

• Photographs

• Recommendations and

conclusions

• Disposal documentation

Reports are provided in electronic format




Case Studies

Summary/Q&A

Case Study: Mercury

Vapor Turbines

Case Study: Mercury

Vapor Turbines• Demolition and removal of equipment within a

power plant was underway

• Elemental mercury was identified on the floor,

and subsequently identified throughout the

area

• The mercury was released from the mercury

vapor turbine circulation system piping

• Initial air screening was performed in the air

inside the area of the release, and site

boundaries were established

• Equipment, debris, worker clothing, tools, and

anything in the vicinity of the release were

assessed for visible mercury and the presence

of mercury vapor

• Segregation of contaminated vs. clean

materials was conducted

• Additionally, preferential migration pathways

were assessed, contractor vehicles, waste

containers, bags of asbestos, and stockpiled

scrap were screened

Case Study: Mercury

Vapor Turbines

Contamination Grid

Clean Up Activities• After equipment segregation, vacuuming of dust and

debris was conducted and the areas screened

• Areas below the action level (0.003 mg/m3) were

excluded from further decontamination, covered and

secured from disturbance or entry by workers and

visitors

• Areas with elevated concentrations of mercury vapor

were washed with mercury amalgamation powder

• Mercury vapor levels were screened and the wash

process repeated until levels were below the action

level

Clearance Sampling & Reporting• Personal air sampling pumps and sorbent tubes were

used to collect clearance samples in accordance with the

NIOSH 6009 method

• The sampling included a background sample and trip

blank for quality assurance and quality control purposes

• The mercury vapor results were reviewed and found to

be below the action level, and the area was released for

normal occupancy

• A project summary report was provided documenting a

detailed description of remediation activities and all

supporting information

Case Study: Broken

Sphygmomanometer • Evacuate the area and limit access

• Screen for mercury vapor concentration levels

• Set up zones, including decontamination area

• Begin decontamination activities

• Obtain mercury vapor clearance level of 0.001 mg/m3 throughout the

area

• Collect all remediation waste for proper storage and disposal

Case Study: Leaking Manometer

Case Study: Mercury in Lab Piping

Case Study: Mercury in Lab Piping• Remove each sink trap, collect the

contents, and screen with a Jerome

J-505

• Traps with detections were removed

and containerized for proper disposal

• Remaining laboratory waste piping

was screened, and any piping with

detections was cut and containerized

for proper disposal

• All piping was removed until there

were no detections on the Jerome




Case Studies

Summary/Q&A

SummaryMercury devices can be removed/disposed

before a spill happens

Mercury remediation is costly and time consuming

Improper cleanup can lead to worker exposure

Triumvirate is here to help

QUESTIONS?

Thank You For Attending!You Will Receive:

• A recording of this presentation and

a copy of this presentation

• A link to a short survey

• An offer to help you avoid a

mercury spill emergency

Attend Future Events:

• http://www.triumvirate.com/training/events

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