We build instruments to measure atmospheric mercury and calibration standards to verify the measurements. Our permeation tubes are the standards behind the first SI-traceable calibrations of gas-phase oxidized mercury, and our systems can calibrate elemental and oxidized mercury independently at ambient concentrations in the field.
Systems are available for purchase, and the underlying technologies are available to license through Utah State University.
On this page: Dual-channel speciated mercury system · Mercury calibrator · Mercury permeation tubes · Licensing · Request a quote
What we offer
Dual-Channel Speciated Mercury System
Measures elemental and oxidized mercury separately every 10 minutes, with SI-traceable calibration.
Available to purchase or license.
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Mercury Calibrator
A calibration system for ambient levels of elemental and oxidized mercury with demonstrated field performance.
Available to purchase or license.
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Mercury Permeation Tubes
Gravimetrically characterized permeation standards for elemental and oxidized mercury, sold separately from our calibrator.
In production and available to order.
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Built to your specification
We will design and build configurations that meet individual customer needs. Tell us what you need to measure and under what conditions, and we will design a system around it. Start a conversation about your application.
Dual-Channel Speciated Mercury System
This system measures elemental and oxidized mercury separately, every 10 minutes, with SI-traceable calibration.
| Oxidized mercury detection limit | 6–12 pg m-3 |
|---|---|
| Time resolution, both species | 10 minutes |
| Recovery of injected Hg⁰ and HgBr2 | 97–100% |
Advantages of the instrument
No denuder bias. Cation exchange membranes collect a wide range of oxidized mercury compounds without the low bias of the previously common KCl-coated denuder method.
Calibrated, not assumed. Most oxidized mercury measurements have never been calibrated. This system has been verified in field conditions against a permeation-tube calibrator with gravimetrically characterized, SI-traceable permeation rates.
Losses designed out. A short, hot inlet and an enclosure mounted at the sampling point keep reactive compounds from being lost on tubing walls before they reach the membranes.
Proven in the field. The system has operated in harsh winter and desert conditions.
Inquire about this system Download the flier (PDF)
Mercury Calibrator
Our calibration systems address critical gaps in mercury measurement science and enhance the understanding of mercury's environmental impact. They are the only calibration systems built for ambient levels of elemental mercury and oxidized mercury compounds that have demonstrated field performance.
| Compounds delivered | Hg⁰, HgCl2, HgBr2 |
|---|---|
| Concentrations generated | Ambient level |
| Permeation rates | SI-traceable, gravimetrically verified |
Applications
- Atmospheric monitoring. Enables accurate measurement of oxidized mercury in ambient air, delivering precise concentrations of known quantity into ambient air sampling systems.
- Mercury analyzer validation. Traceable calibration for commercial and research-grade mercury analyzers.
- Regulatory compliance. Assists in verifying mercury monitoring equipment for environmental regulations.
- Laboratory standards. Provides SI-traceable, ultra-low concentrations of elemental mercury and mercury compounds.
Inquire about the calibrator Download the flier (PDF)
Mercury Permeation Tubes
Each tube's emission rate is established gravimetrically against SI-traceable mass standards, making these the only mercury permeation standards demonstrated to support independent, SI-traceable calibration of mercury measurements in the field.
| Compounds available | Hg⁰, HgBr2, HgCl2 |
|---|---|
| Verification | SI-traceable, gravimetric |
| Expanded uncertainty | 7–10% |
Specifications
- Construction. PTFE Teflon tubing with PTFE end plugs, holding high-purity elemental mercury or crystalline mercury halide. Permeable length and wall thickness are set to the emission rate your application needs.
- Gravimetric characterization. Emission rate determined by regression of mass loss over repeated weighings on a 1 µg sensitivity microbalance, verified against SI-traceable mass standards.
- Speciation verified. Permeated mercury is analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to confirm the fraction emitted as oxidized mercury rather than assuming it from the tube contents.
- Documentation. Each tube has a unique identification number and RFID tag and is delivered with its own permeation rate data and characterization conditions.
- Verified against blanks. Mercury-free tubes of identical construction emit less than 0.01% of a loaded tube, giving a true system blank.
Order permeation tubes Download the flier (PDF)
Licensing
These technologies are available to license through Utah State University, allowing instrument manufacturers, calibration laboratories, and monitoring networks to build on methods that are already published, peer reviewed, and demonstrated in the field, including the permeation standards now in use by commercial instrument developers.
For licensing inquiries please contact Preston Smith at USU Technology Transfer Services: preston.smith@usu.edu
Request a quote
Because systems are built to specification, a useful quote starts with us knowing your application. Email us with as much of the following as you know — partial information is fine.
What to include
- Application. Ambient monitoring, source measurement, laboratory calibration, instrument development, or something else.
- Mercury species. Elemental, oxidized, or both — and which compounds, if you know.
- Concentrations and detection needs. The levels you expect and the detection limit or time resolution the work requires.
- Deployment conditions. Laboratory, field site, remote or unattended operation, climate.
- Timeline. When you need it, and whether it is tied to a funded project or proposal.
Pricing: contact us for pricing. Cost depends on configuration.
Get in touch
Technical questions and sales
Seth Lyman
seth.lyman@usu.edu
Licensing
Preston Smith, USU Technology Transfer Services
preston.smith@usu.edu
Technical background
Peer-reviewed papers describing these methods are collected on our papers page.