USGS Mercury Research Laboratory
USGS Mercury Research Laboratory

Mercury Research
Team Staff :

  • Staff
    • David P. Krabbenhoft
      Team Leader and
      Project Chief
      (608) 821-3843 dpkrabbe@usgs.gov
    • John F. DeWild
      Lab Operations and
      QA Officer
      (608) 821-3846 jfdewild@usgs.gov
    • Jake Ogorek
      Biologist and Chemical Hygiene Officer
      (608) 821-3819 jmogorek@usgs.gov
    • Mike Tate
      Physical Scientist
      Mobile Mercury Lab Operations
      (608) 821-3830 mttate@usgs.gov
    • Ryan Lepak
      Student Trainee (Hydrology)/Lab Assistant
      (608) 821-3819
      rlepak@usgs.gov

Methods used for common analysis types

Analysis type codes and definitions are found on the back of the Request for Analysis form.

 

Cross-reference of Lab Analysis Codes to Methods Used

MRL code

NWIS code

Description

Detection Limit

Method Reference

Water
FTHG P50287

Filtered total mercury

  1. Manual HgT
  2. Automated HgT Brooks-Rand "MERX"
 0.04 ng/L EPA Method 1631, Rev. E
FMHG P50285

Filtered methylmercury

  1. Manual MeHg – no isotope dilution
  2. Manual MeHg by ICPMS isotope dilution
  3. Brooks-Rand “MERX” by ICPMS isotope dilution
 0.04 ng/L USGS Open-File Report 01-445
UTHG P50286

Unfiltered total mercury

  1. Manual HgT
  2. Automated Hg Brooks-Rand "MERX"
 0.04 ng/L EPA Method 1631, Rev. E
UMHG P50284

Unfiltered methylmercury

  1. Manual MeHg – no isotope dilution
  2. Manual MeHg by ICPMS isotope dilution
  3. Brooks-Rand “MERX” by ICPMS isotope dilution
 0.04 ng/L USGS Open-File Report 01-445
PTHG P62976

Particulate total mercury Brooks-Rand "MERX"

 0.059 ng/filter USGS Techniques and Methods 5A-8
PMHG P62977

Particulate methylmercury

  1. Manual MeHg – no isotope dilution
  2. Brooks-Rand “MERX” by ICPMS isotope dilution
 0.01 ng/filter USGS Techniques and Methods 5A-7
DOC P00681 Dissolved organic carbon not yet determined Shimadzu - catalytically-aided platinum 680°C combustion technique
TOC P00680 Total organic carbon not yet determined Shimadzu - catalytically-aided platinum 680°C combustion technique

Bedsediment and Soil
STHG P62978

Sediment total mercury

  1. Nippon MA-2 Mercury Analyzer
  2. Automated Brooks-Rand "MERX"
 0.3 ng/ analytical aliquot USGS Techniques and Methods 5A-8 - acid digestion
1.38 ng/g EPA Method 7473 (SW-846) Rev. 0 - direct combustion
SMHG P62979

Sediment methylmercury

Brook-Rand “MERX”

 0.08 ng/g USGS Techniques and Methods 5A-7
DRY_WT P64177 Dry weight percent (percent solids) not applicable USGS Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations 5-A1, 3rd ed., p. 48
LOI P64178

Percent loss on ignition

 not applicable USGS Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations 5-A1, 3rd ed., p. 451

Plant and Animal Tissue
BMHG not yet assigned

Biological methylmercury

  1. Animal Tissue (Brooks-Rand “MERX”)
  2. Plant Tissue (Brooks-Rand “MERX”)
 determined per analytical batch
  1. dilute nitric acid digestion per "Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer of Methylmercury in Long Island Sound," 2006, Chad R. Hammerschmidt and William F. Fitzgerald, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 51(3):416-424 doi:10.1007/s00244-005-0265-7
  2. USGS Open-File Report 01-445 with modifications
BTHG not yet assigned

Biological total mercury

  1. Nippon MA-2 Mercury Analyzer
  2. Automated (Brooks-Rand "MERX")

 

 determined per analytical batch
  1. sulphuric:nitric acid digestion
  2. dilute nitric acid digestion per "Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer of Methylmercury in Long Island Sound," 2006, Chad R. Hammerschmidt and William F. Fitzgerald, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 51(3):416-424 doi:10.1007/s00244-005-0265-7
  3. EPA Method 7473 (SW-846) Rev. 0 - direct combustion

 

 

 

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