MERX-III-M

Automated Mercury Systems

Automated MethylMercury System

New from Brooks Rand! Inspired by years of experience and feedback, Brooks Rand is pleased to introduce a “simpler” model of automated system, but with advanced features to speed sample throughput!

Product Details

Ultra-low level – All MERX systems undergo rigorous QC testing to ensure they achieve an instrument detection limit of <0.002 ng/L. That’s less than 2 parts-per-quadrillion!
Wide linear range – quantifiable range of 5000x (0.005 ng/L – 25 ng/L)
Sharper peaks – Ballistic trap heating releases the ethylated mercury super fast onto capillary column. The column oven is temperature programmable, resulting in sharper peaks, improved GC separation, and speedy clearance of non-quantified peaks.
Simpler – MERX utilizes a single trap configuration, and it gets a workout! After adsorbing and drying, the trap is rapidly heated and cooled with an improved trap desorption module.
Intelligent switching – During the sample drying cycle, and until the trap is cooled (and ready for the next sample), the purge gas continues to flow through the sample vial and transfer line to remove any residual volatile mercury compounds. Further, once the sample is on the column, an auxiliary carrier gas valve allows the trap to be loaded with the next sample, resulting in sample throughput of 5 minutes or less.
Less maintenance – With the pump-free MERX system, there is no pump maintenance or constant requirements for tubing replacement. MERX has only a few replacement parts, which are all easily accessible and designed for longevity.

Methylmercury Methodology

Sample Preparation
Prior to analysis, samples are prepared as per normal methylmercury methodology, typically distillation for water (US EPA 1630), extraction for sediment or digestion for tissue.

Vial Loading
Prepared samples are added to 40 mL vials with Teflon® lined septa caps. Samples are buffered and ethylated with the addition of NaBEt4. The vials are then capped, shaken and placed in the autosampler.

Software Setup
Sample information is entered into Mercury Guru™ software, settings are selected and then sample analysis begins. MERX does the rest!

Liquid Handling
As each vial is pierced, the purge gas transfers volatile ethylated Hg species onto a Tenax® trap.

Sample Processing
The trap collects ethylated Hg species from the vial. During drying of the sample on the trap, purge gas continues to flow through the sample vial and transfer line to remove any residual volatile mercury compounds. After drying, the trap is rapidly heated and cooled to release the sample into the column. Once the sample is on the column, an auxiliary carrier gas valve allows the trap to be loaded with the next sample.

GC Separation
The released Hg species are separated on a GC column and then thermally reduced to elemental mercury.

CVAFS Detection
Mercury is detected using the Brooks Rand Model IV cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer (CVAFS) with patented optics for enhanced sensitivity.

Data Processing
Mercury Guru™ software integrates the detector signal and calculates results based on calibration and sample volume information. QC results are automatically flagged based on user defined criteria.

Automated Mercury Systems

Automated MethylMercury System

MERX-III-M

Product Details

Methylmercury Methodology

Modules Included In This System

Model III CVAFS Detector

Mercury Guru System Software

MERX Autosampler

MERX Methyl Hg Purge & Trap Module

MERX Methyl Hg GC & Pyrolysis Module

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