ASTM D7623-10(2015)

Standard Test Method for Total Mercury in Crude Oil Using Combustion-Gold Amalgamation and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Method

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The emission of mercury during crude oil refining is an environmental concern. The emission of mercury may also contaminate refined products and form amalgams with metals, such as aluminum.  
5.2 When representative test portions are analyzed according to this procedure, the total mercury is representative of concentrations in the sample.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the procedures to determine the total mercury content in a sample of crude oil.  
1.2 The test method may be applied to crude oil samples containing between 5 ng/mL to 400 ng/mL of mercury. The results may be converted to mass basis, and reported as ng/g of mercury.  
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.4 WARNING—Mercury has been designated by many regulatory agencies as a hazardous material that can cause central nervous system, kidney and liver damage. Mercury, or its vapor, may be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Caution should be taken when handling mercury and mercury containing products. See the applicable product Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for details and EPA’s website—http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm—for additional information. Users should be aware that selling mercury and/or mercury containing products into your state or country may be prohibited by law.  
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2015
• ICS: 75.040 - Crude petroleum
• Technical Committee: D02 - Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants
• Drafting Committee: D02.03 - Elemental Analysis

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D7623 − 10 (Reapproved 2015)
Standard Test Method for
Total Mercury in Crude Oil Using Combustion-Gold
1
Amalgamation and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7623; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope D4175 Terminology Relating to Petroleum, Petroleum
Products, and Lubricants
1.1 This test method covers the procedures to determine the
D4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and
total mercury content in a sample of crude oil.
Petroleum Products
1.2 The test method may be applied to crude oil samples
D6299 Practice for Applying Statistical Quality Assurance
containing between 5 ng⁄mL to 400 ng⁄mL of mercury. The
and Control Charting Techniques to Evaluate Analytical
results may be converted to mass basis, and reported as ng/g of
Measurement System Performance
mercury.
D6300 Practice for Determination of Precision and Bias
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
Data for Use in Test Methods for Petroleum Products and
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
Lubricants
standard.
D6792 Practice for Quality System in Petroleum Products
1.4 WARNING—Mercury has been designated by many and Lubricants Testing Laboratories
regulatory agencies as a hazardous material that can cause D7482 Practice for Sampling, Storage, and Handling of
central nervous system, kidney and liver damage. Mercury, or Hydrocarbons for Mercury Analysis
its vapor, may be hazardous to health and corrosive to
D7622 Test Method for Total Mercury in Crude Oil Using
materials.Cautionshouldbetakenwhenhandlingmercuryand
Combustion and Direct Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption
mercury containing products. See the applicable product Ma-
Method with Zeeman Background Correction
terial Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for details and EPA’s
website—http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm—for addi-
3. Terminology
tional information. Users should be aware that selling mercury
3.1 For definitions of terms used in this standard, refer to
and/or mercury containing products into your state or country
Terminology D4175.
may be prohibited by law.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4. Summary of Test Method
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
4.1 Controlled heating of the analysis sample in oxygen is
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
usedtoliberatemercury.Thesampleisheatedtodrynessinthe
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
instrument and then thermally (at about 700 °C) and chemi-
cally decomposed. The decomposition products are carried by
2. Referenced Documents
flowing treated air to the catalytic section of the furnace (at
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
about 850 °C), where oxidation is completed. The decomposi-
D1193 Specification for Reagent Water
tion products are carried to a gold amalgamator that selectively
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and
traps mercury. After the system is flushed with oxygen to
Petroleum Products
remove any remaining decomposition products other than
mercury, the amalgamator is rapidly heated to about 600 °C,
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on
releasing mercury vapor. Flowing oxygen carries the mercury
Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of
vapor through absorbance cells positioned in the light path of
Subcommittee D02.03 on Elemental Analysis.
single wavelength cold vapor atomic absorption spectropho-
Current edition approved April 1, 2015. Published June 2015. Originally
approved in 2010. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as D7623 – 10.
tometer.Absorbance peak height or peak area, as a function of
DOI:10.1520/D7623-10R15.
mercury concentration, is measured at 253.65 m.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
NOTE 1—Mercury and mercury salts can be volatized at low tempera-
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
tures. Precautions against inadvertent mercury loss should be taken when
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. using this test method.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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D7623 − 10 (2015)
5. Significance and Use 6.3 Sample Combustion Boats, porcelain, quartz, or other
material as recommended and of convenient
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D7623 − 10 D7623 − 10 (Reapproved 2015)
Standard Test Method for
Total Mercury in Crude Oil Using Combustion-Gold
1
Amalgamation and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7623; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method covers the procedures to determine the total mercury content in a sample of crude oil.
1.2 The test method may be applied to crude oil samples containing between 55 ng ⁄mL to 400400 ng ⁄ ng/mL mL of mercury.
The results may be converted to mass basis, and reported as ng/g of mercury.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 WARNING—Mercury has been designated by many regulatory agencies as a hazardous material that can cause central
nervous system, kidney and liver damage. Mercury, or its vapor, may be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Caution
should be taken when handling mercury and mercury containing products. See the applicable product Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) for details and EPA’s website—http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm—for additional information. Users should be aware
that selling mercury and/or mercury containing products into your state or country may be prohibited by law.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D1193 Specification for Reagent Water
D4057 Practice for Manual Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products
D4175 Terminology Relating to Petroleum, Petroleum Products, and Lubricants
D4177 Practice for Automatic Sampling of Petroleum and Petroleum Products
D6299 Practice for Applying Statistical Quality Assurance and Control Charting Techniques to Evaluate Analytical Measure-
ment System Performance
D6300 Practice for Determination of Precision and Bias Data for Use in Test Methods for Petroleum Products and Lubricants
D6792 Practice for Quality System in Petroleum Products and Lubricants Testing Laboratories
D7482 Practice for Sampling, Storage, and Handling of Hydrocarbons for Mercury Analysis
D7622 Test Method for Total Mercury in Crude Oil Using Combustion and Direct Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Method with
Zeeman Background Correction
3. Terminology
3.1 For definitions of terms used in this standard, refer to Terminology D4175.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 Controlled heating of the analysis sample in oxygen is used to liberate mercury. The sample is heated to dryness in the
instrument and then thermally (at about 700°C)700 °C) and chemically decomposed. The decomposition products are carried by
flowing treated air to the catalytic section of the furnace (at about 850°C),850 °C), where oxidation is completed. The
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum Products Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D02.03 on Elemental Analysis.
Current edition approved May 1, 2010April 1, 2015. Published July 2010June 2015. Originally approved in 2010. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as D7623 – 10.
DOI:10.1520/D7623-10R15.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
D7623 − 10 (2015)
decomposition products are carried to a gold amalgamator that selectively traps mercury. After the system is flushed with oxygen
to remove any remaining decomposition products other than mercury, the amalgamator is rapidly heated to about 600°C,600 °C,
releasing mercury vapor. Flowing oxygen carries the mercury vapor through absorbance cells positioned in the light path of single
wavelength cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Absorbance peak height or p
...