Analysis of Mercury Species in New Jersey Ground water Using Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography: Research Project Summary
Date
1993-06
Date Removed
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Division of Science and Research
Abstract
Water samples from 78 private potable wells in southern NJ were collected for mercury analysis in 1991-1992. The wells are located in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape Map and Ocean Counties. Total mercury concentrations varied from 1 ng/L to over 36 Fg/L. The dominant form in which mercury occurred in the wells sampled was inorganic, although monomethylmercury was present in some wells comprising up to 8% of the total mercury in one ground-water sample. Mercury analyses performed using the EPA Method 245.1 should be interpreted with caution. While this method is generally suited for analyzing waters having elevated mercury concentrations (total mercury levels above 2000 ng/L or 2 µg/L), it is less sensitive and even inadequate for characterizing background mercury levels.
Description
Keywords
New Jersey, Mercury - Environmental aspects - New Jersey, Groundwater - Pollution - New Jersey