Method and system for creating a mercury halide standard for use in testing a mercury analyzer system

A method of testing a mercury analyzer system having a mercury analyzer, comprising:

• reacting a known amount of gaseous elemental mercury with at least a stoichiometric amount of a halogen donor to form a gaseous mercury halide;
• converting at least a portion of said gaseous mercury halide to reform an amount of gaseous elemental mercury;
• measuring said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury using the mercury analyzer;
• and
• comparing said known amount of said gaseous elemental mercury with said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury to determine a degree of conversion from said gaseous mercury halide to said reformed gaseous elemental mercury in said converting step.

An apparatus for testing a mercury analyzer system, comprising:

• a source of gaseous elemental mercury;
• a source of a halogen donor which is reactable with said gaseous elemental mercury;
• a reaction chamber in communication with said source of gaseous elemental mercury and said source of halogen donor so as to receive an amount of said gaseous elemental mercury and an amount of said halogen donor, said gaseous elemental mercury and said halogen donor reacting in said reaction chamber to form a known amount of gaseous mercury halide;
• a conversion module for converting at least a portion of said gaseous mercury halide to reform an amount of gaseous elemental mercury;
• measuring means in the mercury analyzer system for measuring said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury;
• and
• comparing means for comparing said known amount of said gaseous mercury halide with said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury to determine a degree of conversion from said gaseous mercury halide to said gaseous elemental mercury in said conversion module.

An apparatus for testing a mercury analyzer system, comprising:

• a source of gaseous elemental mercury;
• a source of a halogen donor which is reactable with said gaseous elemental mercury;
• a reaction chamber in communication with said source of gaseous elemental mercury and said source of halogen donor so as to receive a known amount of said gaseous elemental mercury and at least a stoichioxnetric amount of said halogen donor, said gaseous elemental mercury and said halogen donor reacting in said reaction chamber to form gaseous mercury halide;
• a conversion module for converting at least a portion of said gaseous mercury halide to reform an amount of gaseous elemental mercury;
• measuring means in the mercury analyzer system for measuring said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury;
• and comparing means for comparing said known amount of said gaseous elemental mercury with said reformed amount of gaseous elemental mercury to determine a degree of conversion from said gaseous mercury halide to said reformed gaseous elemental mercury in said conversion module.