CICEET Progress Report for the period 9/01/08 Through 2/15/09

Project Title: Development of a suitable method for the measurement of the dry deposition of elemental mercury and reactive gaseous mercury to coastal ecosystems.
Principal Investigator(s): R. Mason, D. Miller and J. Edson
Project Start Date: 9/1/2007 (although funding for the project was delayed)

Figures

Figure 1

Work plan to meet objectives
Tests of the system were to be performed within the laboratory and outside at the University of Connecticut (Avery Point campuses) if possible before the arrival of winter weather, to adjust parameter settings and demonstrate the applicability of the technique. Also, testing was designed to ascertain if the working approach was feasible and if any modifications needed to be made. Any adjustments to the system were to be implemented at this stage.

Progress on Tasks
Susan Gichuki, a graduate student, with the help of Kate Knight, who has left the university but is working locally, coupled with efforts by a post-doctoral student in the laboratory (Maria Andersson, who is not paid from the project) lead to some important design changes that will improve the final product. The initial intent was to manually insert and remove the denuders and analyze these separately from the instrument but it was subsequently realized that this would be too disruptive and difficult to do, especially if the system was field deployed. Thus, design and effort was put into modifying the system so that the heating of the denuders could take place in line, similar in operation therefore to the overall working approach of the Tekran speciation unit. This required design of heating mantles and writing a program to do this and to make the overall system as automated as possible. This required ordering special equipment and having some parts machine made at the University and this lead to some delay in the progress in the fall such that it was not possible to deploy the instrument outside prior to the arrival of cold weather.

The people working on the project met recently and discussed the progress, and worked on solutions to the remaining problems. A technician, Prentiss Balcom, will be working on the project on a part-time basis to ensure that progress is made this spring. It was found during the testing of the system that some of the initial plumbing of the system was not appropriate and that flow problems needed to be sorted out as the inlet of the denuders must have a defined and constant inlet flow. This redesign of the flow system was completed and the flow conditions demonstrated to be within the required specifications. Some problems with the detector have occurred but these have been resolved.

Further testing of the system is currently underway and it is hoped to deploy the instrument outside in the next months. Presently, options are being explored for a suitable platform for the deployment of the instrument in an environment where the flow field is suitable for the initial testing of the device. A site has been identified but there is some further work that is needed to make it suitable for the prescribed task. Once the initial testing indoors is complete, the equipment will be moved for testing outdoors.

Status of Project Objectives
The results/data gathered during this reporting period have not changed the project objectives compared to the original proposal. The project results and progress to date, while perhaps slower than initially anticipated, can be reasonably explained and was due to the reasons outlined above. This has not changed the overall project objectives as it appears that these can still be achieved. The configuration that will be used is still identical overall to that proposed previously, and shown in Figure 1.

Dissemination activities
There was not sufficient data accumulated during the current reporting period to warrant any presentations in the near future. It is hoped that later in the year that the initial presentation of results at meetings will take place.

Difficulties
As noted above there have been some short-term difficulties and important design modifications that will overall improve the product: 1) development of in-line heating capabilities and the improvement of the design, and changing of configuration, to allow this to occur; 2) problems with the instrument and the need to install new parts and recalibrate the instrument.

Data Generated to date
No reliable data has been generated to date.

Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period

Objectives
Complete the reconfiguration and test the system outside at the University of Connecticut Avery Point campus to adjust parameter settings and demonstrate the usefulness of the technique. Perform field validation tests of the overall system in the Spring of 2009.

Work Plan to Meet Objectives
The configuration development and testing will continue in the Marine Sciences Department on the Avery Point campus of the University of Connecticut, and a student and technician will be working specifically on this project this spring. As the site for the testing of the system outdoors has been identified, as soon as possible the system will be deployed outside and further evaluated. A low tower (~10 m) will be erected to ensure that the flow field around the sampler is uniform. It is expected that the initial testing will be completed in the Spring of 2009.

Dissemination Objectives for next reporting period
It is hoped that there will be sufficient data accumulated during the upcoming reporting period to warrant a presentation at meetings in the summer/fall of 2009.

Overall Project Timeline Update
It does not appear at this stage that there is any need to change the overall project timeline

Expenditures
Expenditures to date are as anticipated.

End User Advisor Feedback
The completed progress report has been submitted to the Advisor for feedback. To date no comments have been received and therefore no response can be made at this time.