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Mercury Deposition
Mercury Deposition
The MDN is the only network providing a longterm record of total mercury
(Hg) concentration and deposition in precipitation in the United States and
Canada. All MDN sites follow standard procedures and have uniform
precipitation chemistry collectors and gages. The automated collector has
the same basic design as the NTN collector but is modified to preserve
mercury. Modifications include a glass funnel, connecting tube, bottle for
collecting samples, and an insulated enclosure to house this sampling train.
The funnel and connecting tube reduce sample exposure to the open
atmosphere and limit loss of dissolved mercury. As an additional sample
preservation measure, the collection bottle is charged with 20 mL of a one
percent hydrochloric acid solution.
Site operators collect samples every Tuesday morning. With each MDN
sample, the entire sampling train is replaced with one that is cleaned by the
Mercury Analytical Laboratory (HAL) at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of
Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin. Rigorous cleaning ensures that each
sampling train component is essentially mercury-free. The HAL supplies
the collection bottles already charged with the hydrochloric-acid
preservative. By following those procedures and stringent sampling
protocols, the MDN is able to report mercury concentrations below 1 part
per trillion (<1 nanogram/liter).
All MDN samples are sent to the HAL, which analyzes all forms of mercury
in a single measurement and reports this as total mercury concentrations.
Currently, 9 MDN sites are also analyzed for methyl mercury. The HAL
reviews field and laboratory data for completeness and accuracy, and flags
samples that were mishandled, compromised by precipitation collector
failures, or grossly contaminated. The HAL delivers all data and information
to the NADP Program Office for final checks and resolution of remaining
discrepancies. Data then are made available on the NADP Web site