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Measuring
Mercury
Emilia Jyrkiäinen, Gasmet Technologies,
discusses the tightening monitoring
requirements for combustion processes.
Introduction
Regulators around the world are
increasingly imposing stricter emissions
limits and monitoring requirements,
as part of initiatives to improve air
quality and fight climate change.
Generally, emission limit values are being
lowered, the number of parameters
being monitored is increasing, and the
requirement for continuous monitoring
is growing. This article will outline the
requirements facing the cement industry
and make the case for continuous
mercury emissions monitoring.
Background
Mercury is considered by the World
Health Organisation to be one of the
top ten chemicals of major public
health concern.
1
Readers may be
familiar with the expression ‘mad
as a hatter’ – an expression derived
from the use of mercury in felt hat
manufacture. Mercury exists naturally in
the earth’s crust, but is released into the
environment from volcanic activity and
the weathering of rocks, as well as from
human activities, such as the burning of
fossil fuels, industrial processes, waste