mercur DUO Plus by Analytik Jena GmbH+Co. KG

mercur – fully automatic Hg ultra trace analysis.

With the expansion of the established atomic fluorescence analyzer mercur to include the absorption mode, Analytic Jena is paving the way for a new generation of instruments.

mercur DUO is a fully automatic mercury analyzer based on the cold vapor technique, with atomic absorption and atomic fluorescence for Hg analytics, extending from sub ppt into the mid ppb range in a single system.

The stand-alone system has a fully integrated PC and intuitive high-performance touchscreen, ensuring the best possible operating convenience. All functions are tailored to the needs of the user. Operation is intuitive. mercur provides an integrated instruction manual directly on the monitor. Various ready-to-use methods are available at the press of a button for the most diverse applications. This unique solution opens up all the benefits of WinAAS^® – the extensive user and evaluation software – without a bulky computer. The printer or other external media are connected via an interface. Data archiving is facilitated by an internal disk drive or directly via the network.

At a glance:

• Lowest detection limit < 0.1 ppt in fluorescence mode and < 1 ppt in absorption mode
• Wide dynamic range across five factors of 10
• Continuous flow mode with or without autosampler
• Maximum automation and high sample throughput in combination with the autosampler
• Integration of the “intelligent” dilution routine with the autosampler
• Automatic standard preparation immediately prior to measurement
• Measurement range expansion option using cascade enrichment via a gold collector – mercur plus
• Fast Baseline Return method for minimum analysis times
• Optimized gas-liquid separator
• Optimal protection with a novel dry membrane and bubble sensor
• Optimization of reaction times
• Conformity with current international standards (EPA and EN)

Efficient protection
The mercur displays its true strength when handling complicated samples such as foaming solutions. These occur frequently in everyday laboratory practice and involve a high risk of contamination and carry-over. The mercur features an important detail that helps avoid unnecessary cleaning: the bubble sensor. If a liquid threatens to spill into the system, this sensor causes the valves to close, and the liquid is automatically conducted to the waste container. Positioned between gas-liquid separator and drying membrane, it protects the gold collector and the fluorescence cell against contamination.

Clever dosage
Pump systems separately meter sample and reagents and transport them to the reactor. The reductant is fed directly into the reactor. There the two solutions meet at an acute angle. The resulting chemical reaction immediately releases atomic mercury vapor. This mode of separating sample and acid ensures fast cleaning of the pump tubing after aspiration of the sample solution. This helps to save time and reduces the amount of reagents needed. It additionally prevents contamination in case of large concentration gradients within a sequence of measurements.

Intelligent control
To ensure a smooth reaction process in any of the various operating modes, the mercur features an intelligent gas/liquid control system. Thanks to the instrument's complex valve groups, tubing paths have been minimized to prevent contamination and to keep carry-over as low as possible. The system-flushing feature and the intelligent gas/liquid control system are responsible for a smooth reaction process and operating whenever the calibrated concentration range is exceeded. This guarantees a successful analysis in cases of strong variations of the mercury content within a sequence of measurements. These features are needed in order to take advantage of the wide linear range of the atomic fluorescence spectrometer in everyday routine analysis.

Optimum enrichment
To adapt the mercur to varied analytical tasks, you can choose between three enrichment modes: no enrichment, simple enrichment, and cascade enrichment. The cascade enrichment feature, compliant to EPA 1631 requirements, comprises two coupled gold collectors, which ensures clean separation of the matrix and prevents quenching effects – thus providing maximum dependability even with complex samples. Enrichment times can be varied to match the sample matrix or the expected mercury concentration range.

Persuasive in its variability, impressive in its speed and unique in its performance – that is mercur DUO, the new generation of mercury analyzers.