title: Optimization of a novel setup for an on-line study of elemental mercury adsorption by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this work was developing a simple and stable time-based on-line setup for assessing the potential of mercury (Hg) vapor adsorption of the commercial sorbents used in air sampling and control operation followed by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A special designed separation chamber was used where reduction of the injected Hg (II) solution took place. Purge gas passes through this chamber resulting to a prompt release of mercury vapor, purging into the adsorbent that regulated at the desired adsorption temperature. After sorbent saturation, in order to study the adsorption parameters of sorbents (activated carbon and bone char) such as breakthrough time (BTT), and adsorptive capacity, mercury gas stream was passed through the sorbents, directly transport to the CVAAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary experiments concerning the reductant solution showed that SnCl2 offers higher stability than NaBH4. Around the loading range 0.125-2.5 ml min⁻¹ of 100 µg l⁻¹ Hg(II) solution, a linear calibration curve with the equation peak area=0.134; loading flow=-0.017 and a correlation coefficient r=0.996 was obtained, and the detection limit was improved up to c(L)=1 µg l⁻¹. The relative standard deviation of five measurements of lowest flow loading of Hg (II) was RSD=2.8%. The significant differences were observed in the breakthrough time and mercury adsorptive capacity between activated carbon and bone char (P=0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel setup is suitable for an on-line study of elemental mercury adsorption, determination of breakthrough time and adsorption capacity, and because of its stable performance during all experiments; it can be applied to the time based studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Assari
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezaee
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jonidi Jafari
authors.forename: Abdolrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahrami
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D053000:Analytic Sample Preparation Methods / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003080:Cold Temperature; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D009862:Online Systems; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury
keywords: Adsorption; Cold vapor atomic absorption; Mercury; Separation; Spectrometry; Vapor generation