Mercury Analyzer Costs

This Excel file contains the following worksheets:

Telecon Notes

FRP Piping Costs

Distance Calc

This Excel workbook documents the methodology developed to estimate the costs associated with the mercury 

analyzer.

EPA included costs for a mercury analyzer and feedback pump and piping for all FGD and leachate wastewater 

treatment systems. ERG, on behalf of EPA, contacted a vendor of the mercury analyzer, Milestone, Inc, to 

gather specific details on the analyzer and it's operation to best estimate the capital costs and O&M costs 

associated with including this feature as part of the treatment system.

Notes from the telecon ERG had with Milestone, Inc to discuss details of the mercury 

analyzer. Included in these notes are the capital cost of the analyzer, the O&M costs 

associated with replacement chemicals and materials, and details on the recurring cost 

associated with replacing the analyzer at a standard interval.

Calculations to determine the percentage of purchased cost associated with freight costs. 

ERG gathered information on the cost of fiberglass reinforced piping (FRP). Assuming this 

piping would be transported by truck, ERG also estimated the freight cost for each size pipe 

to estimate what percentage of the capital cost should be allocated for freight costs. Freight 

percentage is highlighted in yellow.

Survey data on FGD wastewater treatment systems. This data includes information on the 

size, or footprint, of the system. This data was used to estimate the distance of piping 

needed to route wastewater from the effluent tank back to the equalization tank when the 

mercury analyzer indicates that the treated effluent is off specification. 
Project No.: 0172.09.029.043

DISTRIBUTION

Page _1_ of __1_

Project Name: Steam Electric Rulemaking

TELEPHONE CALL RECORD

Outgoing Call

Date: 03/27/12

Time: 11:30 am PDT

Company Name: Milestone Inc.

Contact Name: Tim Michel

Phone No.:(203) 925-4240

Name: Kavya Kasturi

Eastern Research Group

GENERAL SUBJECT : Milestone’s Direct Mercury Analyzers

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND ACTION TAKEN

On Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 11:30 am I spoke with Mr. Tim Michel. I explained that I was

calling to learn more about Milestone’s direct mercury analyzers for use by the steam electric power industry.

Mr. Michel stated that they offered two analyzers: the DMA-80, which is their standard dual-cell analyzer, and

the DMA-80.3, which is their tri-cell analyzer for increased sensitivity. Both instruments follow EPA Method

7473 for thermal decomposition (in which the DMA is referenced). The concentration of mercury is determined

by calculating the total mercury weight and dividing it by the weight of the sample. The dual-cell can typically

measure concentrations to the single ppb range while the tri-cell can measure concentrations to the mid-ppt

range.

Mr. Michel stated no sample preparation is required beyond standard methods of acidifying the sample to

preserve mercury. To analyze the sample, for liquid samples, the sample is pipetted into a quartz sample boat

which takes less than one minute. The analyzer can hold up to 40 sample boats in an auto sampler tray. After

the tray is inserted into the machine, the user hits start to begin the analysis. Analysis takes approximately 6

minutes per sample. Any number of samples between 1 and 40 can be run at a time. Mr. Michel stated the

operation of the equipment is simple and while professional laboratories use the equipment, high schools also

use the equipment. Mr. Michel stated that the analyzers have been used for more than 10 years and there are

approximately 300 systems in use in the United States.

Mr. Michel stated that the following power companies used the analyzer: WE Energies, Duke Power, York,

Detroit Edison, Com Edison, Great River Energy, and Grand Rivers Dam Authority.

The cost of the DMA-80 is approximately $36,000 which includes installation and training as well as a

consumables kit. The DMA-80.3 costs approximately $41,000. The lifespan of the equipment is approximately

5-7 years but companies may choose to upgrade if Milestone releases a new analyzer.

The analyzers use the following consumables: a catalyst tube and an amalgamator. The lifetime depends on the

concentration of mercury in the samples. Mr. Michel stated if approximately 200 samples were analyzed per

week, the consumables would need to be replaced approximately once every quarter. The consumables cost

$600 to replace. Mr. Michel stated that the captured mercury could be exhausted to a fume hood or captured by

an activated carbon trap. If activated carbon is used, he recommended replacing the activated carbon every other

time the consumables are replaced. A cost comparison of the DMA-80 to cold vapor atomic absorption is

provided on Milestone’s website: http://www.milestonesci.com/images/assests/dma-80.pdf

Mr. Michel said the costs were up to date and while the cost estimates were based on soil samples, he expected

the results would be similar for wastewater samples.

Mr. Michel stated that calibration is not required every day. He recommended quality control checks using

samples of known mercury concentration bracketing expected sample concentrations be performed. If the
quality control checks are passed there is no need to recalibrate. If calibration is required, he recommended a 10

point calibration which may take up to an hour.

Additional documentation is available on Milestone’s website: http://www.milestonesci.com/index.php/productmenu/

mercury/dma80-overview.html
ric power industry.

l-cell analyzer, and

ow EPA Method

ercury is determined

l-cell can typically

ns to the mid-ppt

g the sample to

uartz sample boat

ampler tray. After

 approximately 6

chel stated the

t, high schools also

years and there are

e Power, York,

t is approximately

ime depends on the

were analyzed per

consumables cost

e hood or captured by

ed carbon every other

 absorption is

amples, he expected

ol checks using

erformed. If the
e recommended a 10

m/index.php/productmenu/
http://www.frppiping.com/frp_filament_wound_pipe?b=1

Pipe Size Cost 1 $/ft gpm gpd # pieces on truck (48' x 8' x 8')

2 10.12 125 180000 384

3 14 250 360000 256

4 17.89 450 648000 192

6 21.83 1050 1512000 128

8 28.36 1850 2664000 96

10 37.27 2900 4176000 72

12 47.1 4150 5976000 64

Note: Assume FRP Filament Wound Pipe

Note: Assume 20 foot sections of pipe

Note: Costs from FRP Piping

Note: For shipping by truck. Assume 4 rows of pipe high and two lengths of pipe are loaded on the truck. Number of pipes a
Total length of pipe (ft) Freight ($/ft) Freight to pipe ratio

8064 0.173611111 0.017155248

5376 0.260416667 0.01860119

4032 0.347222222 0.019408732

2688 0.520833333 0.023858604

2016 0.694444444 0.024486758

1512 0.925925926 0.024843733

1344 1.041666667 0.022116065

0.017155248 Min

0.024843733 Max

0.021495762 Average

0.022116065 Median

the truck. Number of pipes across depends on piping diameter (total length / pipe diameter)
plant_id cbi_WWT_ID System_ID

4861 FALSE WWT-1

9504 FALSE WWT-1

9671 FALSE WWT-2

7382 FALSE WWT-1

6671 FALSE WWT-1

6689 FALSE WWT-1

8353 FALSE WWT-1

771 FALSE WWT-A

2079 FALSE WWT-A

4978 FALSE WWT-1

5570 FALSE WWT-1

9391 FALSE WWT-1

210 FALSE WWT-1

450 FALSE WWT-1

7728 FALSE WWT-1

103 FALSE WWT-1

7884 FALSE WWT-1

5355 FALSE WWT-2

1731 FALSE WWT-1

4237 FALSE WWT-2

4679 FALSE WWT-1

6283 FALSE WWT-2

3015 FALSE WWT-1

3597 FALSE WWT-1

2297 FALSE WWT-1

7434 FALSE WWT-1

8308 FALSE WWT-1

9059 FALSE WWT-1

6377 FALSE WWT-1

7301 FALSE WWT-1

9805 TRUE [REDACTED]

9805 TRUE [REDACTED]

9948 FALSE WWT-A

5126 FALSE WWT-2

2268 TRUE [REDACTED]

904 FALSE WWT-1

1219 FALSE WWT-1

66 FALSE WWT-2

3831 FALSE WWT-1

4122 TRUE [REDACTED]

4122 TRUE [REDACTED]

2033 FALSE WWT-1

3843 FALSE WWT-1

1381 FALSE WWT-1

3709 FALSE WWT-2

7135 FALSE WWT-1
9768 FALSE WWT-1

2550 FALSE WWT-1

4624 FALSE WWT-1

5477 FALSE WWT-1

8753 FALSE WWT-1

9166 FALSE WWT-1

14 FALSE WWT-1

3146 FALSE WWT-1

4543 TRUE [REDACTED]

3095 FALSE WWT-A

6616 FALSE WWT-1

3373 FALSE WWT-1

7785 FALSE WWT-2

7785 FALSE WWT-3

5318 FALSE WWT-A

8661 FALSE WWT-1

5015 FALSE WWT-1

4533 FALSE WWT-1

3719 FALSE WWT-1

6933 FALSE WWT-1

7727 FALSE WWT-1

3265 FALSE WWT-1

6939 FALSE WWT-1

3196 TRUE [REDACTED]

Count 68

Aveage Footprint 113039.9265 ft2

If we assume the FGD area is a rectangle with one side of x and the other of 2x.

Length of the short side of the treatment system 237.7392758 feet

To conservatively estimate the distance of piping needed to route the FGD treatment system effluent from the 

treated effluent tanks back to the EQ tanks assume it's routed from one corner to opposite corner. A distance

of 3x.

Total pipe length 713.2178274 feet
Plant_Desig Footprint_ft2

WWT Clarifier & Multimedia Filters 576

Wastewater Treatment System 126000

FGD Wasterwater Treatment System 6272

Wastewater Treatment Plant 59500

WW Treatment 80000

FGD Treatment sys. 2600

FGD Blowdown Treatment System 10858

FGD WWTP 90000

FGD WWTS 80000

Wastewater treatment 46636

FGD Treatment 549553

FGD Bioreactor sys. 1829520

Waste Water Treatment Plant 62400

WWT-1 52000

LAMELLA 1247

FGD WWT 750000

FGD WWT 19587

Polymer Addition 25

FGD Wastewater Treatment 53600

FGD WWT 100000

FGD WWT Plant 15000

FGD WWTS 5929

Waste Water Treatment System 3100

FGD WWSRS and CWTS 713400

FGD WWTP 100000

Scrubber Evaporation Pond 8432

FGD Wastewater Treatment 15000

WWTS 30000

FGD Wastewater Treatment System 30000

Wastewater Treatment 55300

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

FGD Wastewater Treatment 16800

Clarifier 12000

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

Waste Water Treatment 5000

WasteWater Treatment 34376

Densadeg WWT 9030

FGD WWT 25814

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

WASTEWATER 2 705980

WWTS 102000

WWT 40000

ERGS FGD WWTS 25440

WWT-1 360000
Wastewater treatment plant 62400

FGD WWTS 40000

wwtp 25000

WWTP 20000

FGD system treatment 343000

Wastewater treatment 12480

WWT 20000

Scrubber System 3600

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

FGD Wastewater Treatment System 13800

FGD WWTP 100000

Waste Water Treatment 27500

Purgewaer Treatment 135000

Wastewater Treatment 89915

FGD WWTP 90000

FGD WWTS 108900

FGD WWTP 10000

FGD WWT 20000

WWTP -999

Wastewater treatment plant 3172

Waste Water Treatment Plant 41633

FGD CPS WWTP 67700

Waste Water Treatment 5000

[REDACTED] [REDACTED]

eatment system effluent from the 

er to opposite corner. A distance