Removal of Elemental
Mercury from Laboratory Drain Traps
Work Description
– General:
Chase Environmental Group
(Chase) was contracted to remove elemental mercury from
drain traps for several laboratories at a university. Chase
inspected, cleaned, and monitored over 600 drains in less
than one week. Chase personnel worked closely with university
personnel to ensure that routine classroom activities and
vital experiments were not disrupted during the cleaning.
In addition to removing the elemental mercury, Chase removed
over one drum of small debris, glassware, sharps, and other
material from the drains. The project involved detailed
performance monitoring and pre- and post-project monitoring
of university effluents. Post-project monitoring revealed
that mercury levels had dropped dramatically due to the
remediation.
Later, Chase was contracted
to remove mercury contamination from the acid drain line
system. Chase fabricated a water treatment system and installed
it to manage the water generated from the process. Then
Chase personnel commenced cleaning the glass piping system
using high pressure jetting, flushing out mercury, sand,
carbon, and biomatter. Drains that had been previously blocked
were restored to “as new” operating condition. Materials
that were flushed out of the system was collected and packaged
for disposal.
Location:
Louisville, KY
Regulatory Basis:
RCRA, OSHA, NPDES, municipal regulations
