The Changing Landscape Of Mercury Analysis

By Jason P. Gray, Product Manager Nippon Instruments, North America

As requirements for mercury monitoring continue to become more stringent, environmental labs need specialized tools for the fast, accurate testing of this important element.

Mercury has become an extremely important element to the industrialized world. Its unique physical properties have made it useful in the production of a wide range of products, including contact switches, thermometers, barometers, dental fillings, batteries, paints, and even light bulbs. In addition, it occurs naturally as a common contaminant in fossil fuels such as coal and crude oil. Mercury's broad use, combined with the ceaseless industrialization of the world, inevitably led to it becoming a major environmental pollutant.