The Millennium Merlin

Using Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (AFS) for the determination of Mercury, the Millennium Merlin continues to provide world class analytical performance.

The analysis of Hg represents a significant routine workload for many contract labs and it’s important to be able to complete the work with a high degree of accuracy, precision and sensitivity.

Evolving over the last 30+ years the Millennium Merlin (Merlin) offers unparalleled performance for the determination of mercury (Hg) from a raft of sample matrices.

These atomic fluorescence systems are also characterised by their wide linear working ranges enabling ppt to ppm determinations in the same run. All systems use a gas/liquid separator especially designed to minimise sample foaming.

PSA 10.025 Millennium Merlin AFS

The standard Merlin (10.025) provides a limit of detection of 0.1ng/L and linear working range from 0.1ng/L to 10mg/L. The analyser is robust, easy to operate and maintain and is ideally suited to many sample types; environmental, food and beverage, clinical, industrial and petrochemical. Each sample takes approximately one minute to process.

PSA 10.035 Millennium Merlin AFS

Designed to meet the exacting performance requirements of EPA Method 1631 “Mercury in Water by Oxidation, Purge and Trap, and Cold Vapor AFS” the 10.035 Merlin houses an on-board gold pre- concentration trap to allow for even lower detection limits. Routine detection limits of 0.01ppt are achievable.

Top view of the 10.035 Merlin with the lid open showing the on-board gold pre-concentration trap, with some example results indicating the ultra-sensitive nature of the analyser.

Speciation capability –  PSA 10.820 Modular Interface

Metal transport and toxicological properties of Hg critically depends on the form (species) in which it occurs in the sample. As a consequence, trace element speciation, particularly for toxic trace elements, is nowadays considered of major importance to ensure environmental safety and compliance disposal.

To increase the range of applications including speciation studies we employ a configurable chromatographic front end; the Modular Interface (MI), which is equipped with LC pump, injection valve, UV cracker, heater and cooling modules. This simple interface couples directly to the Merlin for seamless speciation determinations

Hg in Gases – Scarifier Module M035S100

There are a number of PSA approaches for the determination of Hg in gases. When using the Merlin, the sample gas is usually passed over an Amasil gold trap where any Hg present is collected. This trap is then heated in the Scarifier module and Hg is desorbed from the gold trap and carried to the Merlin detector using an inert carrier gas. In this way Hg present in, for example, ambient air through to process gas steams may be successfully determined.

Applications

Our applications library is extensive, and we have many application notes, papers, posters and other material to help.

Coupling Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry with either cold vapour generation or hydride generation has been PSA’s core competency for over 35 years. With the addition of analyte separation capabilities (which is becoming more routine) allowing for speciation studies, PSA offers powerful analytical tools to help contract laboratories, research teams and regulators alike with these challenges.