Joint speciation Hg measurements in flue gasses of the Marl ChemiPark Power Plant / 2.10.2020

In the week between 20. and 25. September co-workers on MercOx project performed joint speciation Hg measurements in flue gases of the Marl ChemiPark Power Plant, which has installed electrostatic precipitators and wet flue-gas desulphurisation system.

MercOx project partners from Lumex Analytics, Germany, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and Department of Environmental Sciences, IJS (dr. Nikolay Ivanov, Vladimir Ryzhov; dr. Timo Rajamaki; dr. Jože Kotnik, dr. Igor Živković and Jan Gačnik, respectively) performed sampling on Block 4, mostly for comparison and calibration of sampling and measurements systems. On the Power Plant Block 5, sampling for total and oxidized Hg species were performed in flue gases. Samples of Hg in flue gases of power plant were trapped and stored by commercially available Ohio Lumex speciation traps using a specially designed sampler unit. Analysis of elemental and »reactive« Hg were performed on the site (Marl ChemiPark Power Plant) by applying Pyrolysis Lumex procedure. Samples of coal, electrofilters’ dust, and wet flue gas desulphurisation system was sampled, and will be analysed in laboratory (Ljubljana).

Total and speciation Hg traps will be also analysed regarding stable Hg isotope ratios, which can provide information how lighter and heavier Hg isotopes differ during different processes in the Power Plant (burning of coal and flue gas cleaning phases thru plant). Most samples were taken in Block 5 before all cleaning devices, immediately after burning in Block (sampling site 2), and after all cleaning devices (sampling site 1).

Co-worker from VTT, Helsinki checked and tested HovaCal calibrator that should be used for calibration of oxidized Hg in ambient air and flue gases. HovaCal calibrator was brought to Ljubljana as it will be tested during next sampling campaign in Slovenia.