Mercury Spills and How You Can Avoid Them
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This document outlines a webinar on mercury spills, detailing the properties of mercury, its potential health risks, and regulatory guidelines for exposure. It presents emergency response strategies, case studies of mercury spills, and methods for monitoring and cleaning up mercury effectively. The goal is to provide participants with knowledge to prevent and manage mercury-related emergencies.
Mercury Spills and How You Can Avoid Them
- 1. Mercury Spills & How You Can Avoid Them Lessons from real-world emergency responses
- 2. Meet Your Moderator: James Ciccone
- 3. During This Webinar All lines will be muted. Communicate via the questions tab in your webinar panel. Unanswered questions will be responded to after the webinar. Webinar recording and slides will be emailed to you tomorrow.
- 4. Meet Your Presenter Ryan Miller Engineering Project Manager Triumvirate Environmental
- 5. Agenda Background on Mercury Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations Mercury Spill Response Case Studies Summary/Q&A
- 6. 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
- 7. 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
- 9. 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)
- 11. Poll Question Are you storing old, obsolete, or unused mercury containing devices?
- 12. Mercury in Plumbing Mercury poured into drains can remain in the plumbing indefinitely, until it is physically removed or the plumbing is replaced.
- 14. Mercury in Soil
- 15. Agenda Background on Mercury Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations Mercury Spill Response Case Studies Summary/Q&A
- 16. 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)
- 18. 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
- 19. 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
- 20. 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
- 21. Clean Up Guidance CLEANUP 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)
- 22. Agenda Background on Mercury Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations Mercury Spill Response Case Studies Summary/Q&A
- 23. Worker Health and Safety Spills 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
- 24. 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.
- 25. 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
- 26. 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
- 27. How They Work Mercury Vacuum Mercury Amalgamation Powder Mercury Vapor Adsorption Powder
- 28. Mercury Vacuum
- 29. 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
- 30. 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
- 31. Agenda Background on Mercury Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations Mercury Spill Response Case Studies Summary/Q&A
- 32. Case Study: Mercury Vapor Turbines
- 33. 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
- 34. • 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
- 36. 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
- 37. 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
- 38. 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
- 39. Case Study: Leaking Manometer
- 40. Case Study: Mercury in Lab Piping
- 41. 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
- 42. Agenda Background on Mercury Mercury Vapor Measurement & Regulations Mercury Spill Response Case Studies Summary/Q&A
- 43. Summary Mercury 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
- 44. QUESTIONS?
- 45. 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