Grantee Research Project Results

2002 Progress Report: Development And Demonstration Of Trace Metals Database

EPA Grant Number: R827649C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827649
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Air Toxic Metals^® (CATM^®)
Center Director: Groenewold, Gerald
Title: Development And Demonstration Of Trace Metals Database
Investigators: Folkedahl, Bruce C. , Benson, Steven A. , Maki, Andrew B. , Beard, Roy B. , Galbreath, Kevin C. , Peck, Wes D. , Pavlish, John H. , Zygarlicke, Christopher J. , Miller, Stanley J. , Laudal, Dennis L. , Hanson, Paul R. , Olson, Edwin S. , Hassett, J. , Jensen, John , Holmes, Karen
Institution: University of North Dakota
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: October 15, 1999 through October 14, 2002
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 15, 2001 through October 14, 2002
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Center for Air Toxic Metals (CATM) (1998) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Targeted Research

Objective:

The overall objective of this research project, conducted by the Center for Air Toxic Metals (CATM^SM), is to address air toxic trace element emissionsthat have become a matter of worldwide concern, as well as a regulatory issue in the United States. The goal of CATM^SM is to develop key information on air toxic metal compounds to support the development and implementation of pollution prevention and control strategies that will effectively reduce air toxic metal emissions and releases to the environment.

The specific objective of this research project is to advance the development of a trace metals database. Progress has been made in two areas: modeling and database development, and studying mercury releases from crude oil and other fuels.

Progress Summary:

Modeling and Database Development. The CATM^SM modeling efforts have continued to develop approaches to predict and understand toxic trace elements from thermal sources. These efforts include the development and improvement of computer-based predictive tools using statistical and artificial intelligence-based approaches.

The extensive collection of data from governmental, industrial, and research sources was utilized to develop advanced statistical relationships using ash chemistry, along with an artificial intelligence-based application used to understand the speciation of trace elements produced from coal-fired systems. This information is important for understanding the forms of the trace elements produced and improving the control of the toxic trace elements from thermal sources. The compiled data, along with the computer-based tools, are available to researchers and others interested in trace element information.

Mercury Releases From Crude Oil and Other Fuels. Information related to the content and fate of mercury from crude oil and other fuels (referred to as alternative fuels) is limited. Evaluation of existing information and additional acquisition and analysis of samples are needed to better quantify the mercury associated with utilization of both crude oils and alternative fuels such as biomass, oil sands, tar sands, and oil shale.

The United States consumes 19.6 MM barrels/day of oil, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of coal consumed domestically on a tonnage basis. Consequently, depending on the associated levels of mercury released to the environment during production and utilization of that oil, the potential exists for significant contribution to the global mercury pool. Currently available literature indicates that mercury concentrations of produced crude oils vary widely from below analytical detection limits to ppm levels, with a majority of the reported samples in the single-digit ppb levels. In comparison, the information collection request (ICR) for coal showed average mercury concentrations for the major coal types ranging from 49 to 126 ppb. Although most of the crude oil samples are at concentrations below these levels, the literature does indicate that there are regions with very high concentrations of mercury (thousands of ppb). Additional research is needed in this area to evaluate mercury concentrations in crude oils at the source, before it is removed, during production, and during processing.

Mercury data for alternative fuels are limited. The need for better data becomes increasingly important as more interest and emphasis is placed on utilizing local and renewable sources of energy such as biomass, oil sands, tar sands, oil shale, etc. In general, mercury levels in sources of biomass are expected to be relatively low, but higher values have been observed (e.g., up to 71 ppb for leaf and tree needle litter). Therefore, more data are needed to identify typical and range values. Limited data show that there also can be significant levels of mercury in oil sands and oil shale, and that analysis of a representative sample set is warranted.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 33 publications for this subproject

Supplemental Keywords:

air, toxic, air quality, control, modeling, database, emissions, environment, hazardous, mercury, metals, pollutants, pollution, sampling, measurement, species, transformations., RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Economics & Decision Making, Ecological Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, Environmental Chemistry, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, decision-making, exploratory research environmental biology, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecological Effects - Human Health, air toxics, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Environmental Engineering, chemical databases, heavy metals, trace metals database, environmental decision making, models, decision analysis, toxic metals, mercury

Relevant Websites:

http://www.undeerc.org Exit
http://www.undeerc.org/catm/catm_home.html Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2000

2001 Progress Report

Final Report

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R827649    Center for Air Toxic Metals^® (CATM^®)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827649C001 Development And Demonstration Of Trace Metals Database
R827649C002 Nickel Speciation Of Residual Oil Ash
R827649C003 Atmospheric Deposition: Air Toxics At Lake Superior
R827649C004 Novel Approaches For Prevention And Control For Trace Metals
R827649C005 Wet Scrubber System
R827649C006 Technology Commercialization And Education
R827649C007 Development Of Speciation And Sampling Tools For Mercury In Flue Gas
R827649C008 Process Impacts On Trace Element Speciation
R827649C009 Mercury Transformations in Coal Combustion Flue Gas
R827649C010 Nickel, Chromium, and Arsenic Speciation of Ambient Particulate Matter in the Vicinity of an Oil-Fired Utility Boiler
R827649C011 Transition Metal Speciation of Fossil Fuel Combustion Flue Gases
R827649C012 Fundamental Study of the Impact of SCR on Mercury Speciation
R827649C013 Development of Mercury Sampling and Analytical Techniques
R827649C014 Longer-Term Testing of Continuous Mercury Monitors
R827649C015 Long-Term Mercury Monitoring at North Dakota Power Plants
R827649C016 Development of a Laser Absorption Continuous Mercury Monitor
R827649C017 Development of Mercury Control Technologies
R827649C018 Developing SCR Technology Options for Mercury Oxidation in Western Fuels
R827649C019 Modeling Mercury Speciation in Coal Combustion Systems
R827649C020 Stability of Mercury in Coal Combustion By-Products and Sorbents
R827649C021 Mercury in Alternative Fuels
R827649C022 Studies of Mercury Metabolism and Selenium Physiology