Renewable mercury meniscus electrode with mercury circulation system and contaminant removal
AssigneeAMS Trace Metals, Inc.
InventorVladimir Dozortsev
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Abstract
This disclosure provides a voltammetric measurement system predicated on a mercury electrode. To minimize mercury consumption and/or disposal, the disclosed system includes a recirculatory system and mechanisms for cleaning mercury that permit mercury to be reclaimed, purified and reused on a nearly indefinite basis. Optional embodiments provide a modular design including a specially designed measurement cell, and for an automated control system to facilitate these ends.
Claims30
A voltammetric measurement system, comprising:
- electrodes to measure an electrochemical property of an aqueous solution, wherein one of the electrodes is to form a liquid mercury surface in contact with the aqueous solution;
- a recirculatory system comprising a trap to collect liquid mercury shed from the one of the electrodes and a pump to recirculate the liquid mercury collected by the trap back to the one of the electrodes;
- and
- a cleaning system to remove contaminants from the liquid mercury.
A voltammetric measurement system, comprising:
- electrodes to measure an electrochemical property of an aqueous solution, wherein one of the electrodes is to form a liquid mercury surface in contact with the aqueous solution;
- a recirculatory system comprising a trap to collect liquid mercury shed from the one of the electrodes and a pump to recirculate the liquid mercury collected by the trap back to the one of the electrodes;
- and
- means for cleaning the mercury to remove contaminants.
An automated measurement system for taking measurements of a substance, the automated measurement system comprising:
- a sample capture vessel to capture the substance;
- a voltammetric measurement system to receive the substance in the form of an aqueous solution and to take at least one voltammetric measurement;
- a control system to automatically control capture by the substance by the sample capture vessel on a predetermined, intermittent basis;
- wherein the voltammetric measurement system comprises
- electrodes to measure an electrochemical property of the aqueous solution, wherein one of the electrodes is to form a liquid mercury surface in contact with the aqueous solution, and
- a recirculatory system comprising a trap to collect spent liquid mercury and a pump to recirculate liquid mercury collected from the trap back to the one of the electrodes, and
- a cleaning system to remove contaminants from the liquid mercury;
- wherein the automated measurement system is further to automatically transfer the substance to the voltammetric measurement system for automated measurement thereof on the predetermined, intermittent basis and, wherein further, the cleaning system is to remove contaminants from the liquid mercury in between the intermittent measurements.
A method of performing a voltammetric measurement using a mercury electrode, the method comprising:
- receiving an aqueous solution into a measurement chamber;
- using electrodes to measure an electrochemical property of the received aqueous solution, wherein of the electrodes is to form a liquid mercury surface in contact with the aqueous solution;
- collecting in a trap liquid mercury shed from the one of the electrodes and using a pump to recirculate liquid mercury from the trap back to the one of the electrodes in between measurements of aqueous solution by the voltammetric measurement system;
- and
- intermittent to measurements of aqueous solution by the voltammetric measurement, controlling the voltammetric measurement system so as to within the measurement chamber remove contaminants from the liquid mercury using at least one of a galvanic process or a chemical process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.