ASTM_D_6722_-_19.pdf

Designation:D672219Standard Test Method forTotal Mercury in Coal and Coal Combustion Residues byDirect Combustion Analysis1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6722;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 These test methods cover procedures to determine thetotal mercury content in a sample of coal or coal combustionresidue.1.2 UnitsThe values stated in SI units are to be regardedas standard.The values given in parentheses after SI units areprovided for information only and are not considered standard.1.3 WarningMercury has been designated by EPA andmany state agencies as a hazardous material that can causecentral nervous system,kidney,and liver damage.Mercury,orits vapor,may be hazardous to health and corrosive tomaterials.Caution should be taken when handling mercury andmercury-containing products.See the applicable product Ma-terial Safety Data Sheet(MSDS)for details and EPAs website(http:/www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm)for additional informa-tion.Users should be aware that selling mercury or mercury-containing products,or both,in your state may be prohibited bystate law.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety,health,and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D121 Terminology of Coal and CokeD2013/D2013M Practice for Preparing Coal Samples forAnalysisD3173 Test Method for Moisture in the Analysis Sample ofCoal and CokeD3180 Practice for Calculating Coal and Coke Analysesfrom As-Determined to Different BasesD7448 Practice for Establishing the Competence of Labora-tories Using ASTM Procedures in the Sampling andAnalysis of Coal and CokeD7582 Test Methods for Proximate Analysis of Coal andCoke by Macro Thermogravimetric AnalysisE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test Method3.Terminology3.1 For definitions of terms used in this standard,refer toTerminology D121.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 Controlled heating of the analysis sample in oxygen isused to liberate mercury.The sample is heated to dryness in theinstrument and then thermally and chemically decomposed.The decomposition products are carried by flowing oxygen tothe catalytic section of the furnace,where oxidation is com-pleted and halogens as well as nitrogen and sulfur oxides aretrapped.The remaining decomposition products are carried toa gold amalgamator that selectively traps mercury.After thesystem is flushed with oxygen to remove any remainingdecomposition products,the amalgamator is rapidly heated,releasing mercury vapor.Flowing oxygen carries the mercuryvapor through absorbance cells positioned in the light path ofa single wavelength atomic absorption spectrophotometer.Absorbance peak height or peak area,as a function of mercuryconcentration,is measured at 253.7 nm.4.2 Mercury and mercury salts can be volatized at lowtemperatures.Precautions against inadvertent mercury lossshould be taken when using this method.5.Significance and Use5.1 The emission of mercury during coal combustion can bean environmental concern.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D05 on Coaland Coke and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D05.29 on MajorElements in Ash and Trace Elements of Coal.Current edition approved Dec.1,2019.Published January 2020.Originallyapproved in 2001.Last previous edition approved in 2011 as D6722 11 DOI:10.1520/D6722-19.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.5.2 When representative test portions are analyzed accord-ing to this procedure,the total mercury is representative ofmass fractions in the sample.6.Apparatus6.1 There are seve