You are here:
MERCURY IN CRUDE OIL PROCESSED IN THE UNITED STATES (2004)
Citation:
WILHELM, M., L. LIANG, D. CUSSEN, AND D. A. KIRCHGESSNER. MERCURY IN CRUDE OIL PROCESSED IN THE UNITED STATES (2004). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 41(13):4509-4514, (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform public
Description:
The mean and range of concentrations of mercury in crude oil processed in the U.S. were investigated using two analytical methods. The sample ensemble consisted of 329 samples from 170 separate crude oil streams that are processed by U.S. refineries. Samples were retrieved immediately upstream of refinery tank farms. Losses of mercury during production, separation and transportation were not examined. The arithmetic mean and median of all samples were 7.3 and 1.3 micro kilograms of total mercury in oil, respectively. The volume weighted mean of total mercury concentration in oil processed in the U.S. in 2004 was calculated. The range of measured concentrations extended from below analytical detection limit to approximately 600 micro kilograms. Ensemble bias was not obvious. Good agreement was found with other recent and independent studies of mercury in crude oil refined in North America.