Director's Message
Mark Boedigheimer, CH2M HILL Applied Sciences Laboratory
Something Old is Something New ?!
ASL Adds Methyl Mercury Capability
ASL is currently developing methods to analyze samples for methyl mercury. Methyl mercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in living organisms. Once used as a fungicide it was banned in the U.S in the early 1970s. In January 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new water quality criteria for methyl mercury. Adopting the original criterion based on methyl mercury in fish tissue presented several challenges; as a result, states did not implement methyl mercury limits. However, after additional research, in January 2009 EPA published its final guidance on implementing new water quality criteria for methyl mercury. The water quality criteria are based on fish tissue limits and will require states to establish methyl mercury total maximum discharge limits (TMDLs) for each river basin. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits will subsequently be issued with limits for both methyl mercury and total mercury. In addition, we can expect clients to begin closely examining their systems for potential sources of mercury and assessing ways to minimize their contribution. This may include work associated with large drainage basin assessments by such clients as state regulatory agencies, EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, and the National Forest Service. Some states are already introducing legislation to include routine methyl mercury monitoring. The State of Oregon is in the final stages of passing a bill (SB37) requiring methyl mercury monitoring by municipal governments and industry.
ASL is following U.S. EPA Method 1630 for methyl mercury analysis. Detection limit studies will soon be completed, with an estimated method detection limit of 0.02 ng/L (0.02 parts per trillion). If you need additional information on ultra-clean sampling techniques, trace metals analyses, or methyl mercury specifics, please call Kathy McKinley/ASL Customer Services at 541.768.3144.
Hello again from the CH2M HILL Lab. In this edition of the ASL Newsletter you will read about the current state of affairs concerning mercury, one of the alchemists' oldest and most persistent nemeseis. Our guest writer, Bill Byers/CVO—chemical engineer and distinguished fellow technologist—takes us on a journey through mercury's rather sordid legacy. Good drama! (in a Chem- geekish sort of way.) Just about the time we think mercury's legacy is played out—it once again fools the wise and rises back to stardom—this time, reincarnated. I'll let you read Bill's incantations.
Of a similar nature, if you have practiced environmental consulting for several decades, then perhaps you've noticed the tendency for a problem encountered decades ago to again erupt seemingly spontaneously, not always in the same place or in the same context, but as the same reoccurring problem. For instance, I'm pretty sure that I'll slide right into retirement providing advice on how to troubleshoot a BOD test. I suppose this just proves that given sufficient time the old stuff, much like mercury, truly does come back around!
In response to EPA's renewed focus on mercury, please take note that on top of ASL's existing state-of-the-art trace level mercury measurement capabilities, we are in the process of adding trace level methyl mercury measurement. This new capability will enable ASL to completely characterize mercury and its daughter products in a full range of environmental sample matrices down to and below background levels.
Enjoy,
Mark