DCHAS-L Archives, Apr 18 2022 - Re: [DCHAS-L] Mercury Diffusion Pump

Tilak,

Please check with your EHS Office to ensure compliance with https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/part-262/subpart-K. You do NOT want to be classified as an EPA Treatment facility, if you follow the procedure below you will need to analytically verify that the rinsate contains less than 0.15 mg/L TCLP and =A7268.48 standards. In my experience, the best practice is to dispose the pump lines and glassware containing the mercury as “Mercury Compounds, Liquid, 6.1, UN2084”.

I had TSDF vendors that could accomplish this task, but they have been procured by other waste disposal companies and I have been out of the laboratory environment for two years. What I would do, is solicit vendors to ensure they have the capability, evaluate their permits, compliance history (including violations).

By treating with Nitric acid, not only are you adding another hazardous waste code (D002), but you are making the waste potentially more hazardous/reactive to handle and more expensive to dispose of. It is definitely worth a call to the disposal company (TSDF – not intermediary) to verify the most environmentally responsible and cost effective method of disposal.

Just my experience,

BruceV

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of TILAK CHANDRA
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2022 5:53 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Mercury Diffusion Pump

Here is a procedure:

Remove the pump from the line.

Empty out the mercury and dispose of this mercury properly.

Use a 6 molar nitric acid solution and let sit in the glassware until the mercury residue is removed*.

Dispose of the Nitric acid like mercury waste. Or chemically separate the Nitric from mercury?

Rinse the glassware with water and dispose.

Ref. The Laboratory Companion - A Practical Gude to Materials, Equipment, and Technique, by Gary Coyne.

Good luck.

Tilak

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of Todd Melgreen <tmelgreen**At_Symbol_Here**WILLAMETTE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2022 3:59 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Mercury Diffusion Pump

Hello All-

I was hoping that someone on this e-mail list may have some answers to a few questions regarding a mercury diffusion pump.

We would like to remove the mercury from the diffusion pump. Once the mercury is removed we would like to dispose of the remaining glass diffusion pump properly, I am wondering if anyone has any experience or has attempted to do this previously that we could learn from.

Questions are:

What is the easiest way to remove the mercury from the diffusion pump?

Are there vendors who deal with disposing of mercury contaminated glass?

I appreciate any insight or help that can be provided. Thanks. I do have photos of the pump but they can't be sent to this list serve. So if seeing these would help you please email me directly and I can send them your way. Thanks again for your help in advance?

Regards,

Todd A. Melgreen, ASP

Chemical Hygiene Officer & Chemistry Lab/Stockroom Manager

Chemistry Department
Willamette University
900 State Street
Salem, OR 97301

office: Collins 303 ext#6833

stockroom: Olin 411 ext#6734
phone: 503-370-6833
cell phone: 541-760-5780

fax: 503-375-5425
email: tmelgreen**At_Symbol_Here**willamette.edu

Pronouns: He/Him/His

I respectfully acknowledge that Willamette University was built on the land of the Kalapuya, who today are represented by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, whose relationship with this land continues to this day. I am grateful to the land itself, to those who have stewarded it for generations, and for the opportunity to study, learn, work, and be in community on this land. I acknowledge that the University’s history, like many others, is fundamentally tied to the first colonial developments in the Willamette Valley. I respectfully acknowledge and honor past, present, and future Indigenous students of Willamette.

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