[Nhcoll-l] Mercury Vapor Testing Options

[Kathryn Makos]

There a few major real-time mercury vapor analyzers commonly used by
industrial hygiene/environmental science groups, including the Jerome 431X,
and one by Lumex.  Every major university/college EHS department will have
one, as will most city/state public health or environmental departments as
they often need to test school labs post mercury thermometer breakages.

I would strongly recommend you call one of these Albuquerque sources for
some pro-bono help.  Certainly your Museum consults with some local academic
institution on collections care matters, so you should be only a few phone
calls away from their safety office staff.  A half-day's outreach trade-off
with a cool behind-the-scenes look at collections and their hidden hazards
would work, trust me!  

Kathryn Makos, mph cih
Industrial Hygienist, (Ret) Smithsonian 



Message: 1
Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 16:49:04 +0000
From: "Gegick, Patricia, DCA" <patricia.gegick at state.nm.us>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] mercury vapor testing
To: "NHCOLL-L at mailman.yale.edu" <NHCOLL-L at mailman.yale.edu>
Message-ID:
	<53444CCECC3E78469755DA6AB7684F96DA4F6FD6 at CEXMB001.nmes.lcl>
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Hi Listees,
We have an old (1900's) beautiful collection of bird eggs that are housed in
a specially made wooden chest.  Some years ago I learned that it is possible
that the eggs may have been preserved with a mercury compound and the eggs
and the wooden storage container may be giving off mercury vapors.  Since
then the egg collection has been sealed and is not being displayed.  I also
have a drying oven in which a thermometer was broken.  The oven was
professionally cleaned but we would also like to have this tested for
mercury vapor.   I have found only one local company that will actually test
for Hg vapor.  Does anyone have any experience with other options for
mercury vapor testing?  Thanks
Patricia J. Gegick
Bioscience Collections Specialist
Department of Collections and Research
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
1801 Mountain Road, NW
Albuquerque, NM  87104-1375
Phone:  505.841.2867  Fax: 505.841.2808
email:  patricia.gegick at state.nm.us