Laboratory Capabilities
The Analytical Research Laboratory (ARL) provides quality data, flexibility, and rapid
turnaround time in support of research activities at the EERC. The lab is equipped for
routine and specialized analyses of inorganic and organic constituents, which are performed
using classical wet-chemistry and state-of-the-art instrumental procedures. Established
analytical techniques allow for the chemical characterization of a variety of environmental
and biological sample types, including fossil fuels, biomass, combustion by-products, geologic
materials, fine particulate matter, groundwater, wastewater, fish tissue, and plant
materials. Particular attention is directed toward trace element analysis, including arsenic,
mercury, and selenium.
Quality Assurance
The EERC laboratory staff follows U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ASTM International,
and other standard methods for the analysis of samples. Analytical methods are routinely monitored
for precision and accuracy with certified reference materials from the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and other sources. The ARL analyzes certified parameters annually
in a water pollution study acquired from a NIST/National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation
Program (NVLAP)-accredited provider. Additional external quality assurance is maintained
by participating in interlaboratory studies and proficiency programs such as the Coal and
Ash Sample Proficiency Exchange™ (CANSPEX™). This participation allows the ARL to demonstrate
competence in methods of analysis by comparing analytical results and techniques with other
laboratories throughout the United States and Canada.
Research Activities
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Mercury: The ARL plays a major role in the support of mercury research at the
EERC. With several EERC projects focusing on the occurrence and fate of mercury in
combustion systems, as well as the evaluation of mercury control technologies, the ARL
staff has gained considerable experience in mercury chemistry and analytical techniques
for providing precise and accurate data.
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Center for Air Toxic Metals®
(CATM®): The analytical efforts that support CATM projects include
nickel speciation of particulate matter emitted from oil-fired units; mercury determination
in alternative fuel sources such as biomass, oil/tar sands, and oil shale; low-level
halogen determination in coal; and mercury and selenium determination in biological
matrices to help evaluate the effect of selenium on mercury toxicity.
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Measurement of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from combustion systems: The ARL
supports research at the EERC related to the fate of HAPs in combustion systems by
thoroughly characterizing the fuel, ash by-products, and stack emissions. Several
EERC projects have evaluated the impact of mercury control technologies on the fate
of other inorganic HAPs which include As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Se.
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Solid waste characterization: toxicity characteristic leaching procedure
(TCLP) and other leaching procedures are employed for determining the leachability
of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) metals.
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Biomass characterization: The ARL employs a variety of sample preparation
and analytical techniques for the determination of major, minor, and trace constituents
in biomass materials such as wood chips, switchgrass, and corn stover.
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Biological sample analysis: To support research related to the health impacts
of environmental pollutants, the ARL has capabilities for the preparation and analysis
of biological tissues such as hair, blood, fish, and plant materials.
Laboratory Equipment
- 4200-ft2, fully equipped, exceedingly clean laboratory with seven fume hoods
- VG PQ ExCell Inductively Coupled
Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) with collision cell technology
- Perkin Elmer Optima 2100 ICP-AES
- CETAC M6000A cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometer (CVAAS) mercury analyzer
- PS Analytical Millennium Merlin cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometer (CVAFS)
- PS Analytical Millennium Excalibur hydride generation atomic fluorescence
spectrometer (HGAFS)
- Varian Spectra AA-880Z graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS)
- Mitsubishi TOX-100 Chlorine Analyzer
with oxidative hydrolysis
microcoulometry
- Dionex 2020i ion chromatograph (IC) with UV-VIS, conductivity, and electrochemical
detection
- CEM MDS 2100 microwave with temperature and pressure control
- Pyrohydrolysis/ion-specific electrode for fluorine analysis of fossil fuels