Elemental mercury continues to present significant occupational exposure risks in a variety of industries, including chlor-alkali production and chemical laboratories, metal mining and ore processing, fluorescent lamp and electrical switch manufacturing, and lamp recycling facilities. When exposure assessments are required, industrial hygienists and other OEHS professionals need elemental mercury vapor sampling solutions they can trust and that also fit into increasingly busy field schedules.
Industrial hygiene and environmental laboratories face their own challenges. Reusable elemental mercury samplers require cleaning, reassembly, and preparation between sampling events, adding time to laboratory workflows. There is also the risk of cross-contamination if the reusable sampler is not cleaned effectively.
The new SKC HgChek™ Disposable Elemental Mercury Passive Sampler was developed with both needs in mind.
Addressing the Challenges of Traditional Elemental Mercury Vapor Sampling
Passive sampling for elemental mercury has long offered advantages over pump-based sampling, but reusable passive samplers introduce their own challenges. Preparing samplers for use, maintaining reusable components, cleaning, and reloading between sampling events all require valuable time and attention.
For organizations conducting routine sampling across multiple facilities or numerous employees and for laboratories on the post-analysis side, those extra steps can add up quickly.
The HgChek Disposable Elemental Mercury Passive Sampler eliminates those maintenance requirements with a ready-to-use, single-piece design. Each sampler arrives preloaded with sorbent media and is intended for one-time use, eliminating the need for cleaning, reloading, or maintaining reusable sampler bodies.
The result is a simpler workflow that helps OEHS professionals and laboratories spend less time preparing samplers and more time focused on exposure assessment.
Supporting Defensible Exposure Assessments
Simplifying the sampling process should never mean compromising data quality.
The HgChek is designed for elemental mercury vapor sampling using recognized occupational exposure methods, including OSHA Method ID-140 and the UK's MDHS 16/2, and quantitative analysis. Because it is a passive sampler, no sampling pump is required, reducing equipment needs while providing a practical option for personal sampling.
For industrial hygienists and other OEHS professionals, this means:
No cleaning or reloading between sampling events
No reusable components to track and manage
Consistent, ready-to-use sampling media
Quantitative sampling using recognized analytical methods
Simplified field logistics without the need for a sampling pump
Whether conducting baseline assessments, periodic exposure sampling, or compliance sampling, the disposable design helps streamline the entire sampling process.
Benefits Beyond the Field
The advantages extend beyond industrial hygiene professionals.
Environmental and industrial hygiene laboratories also benefit from a simplified sampling system.
Because each sampler is factory prepared, laboratories no longer need to manage reusable sampler components returning from the field. Instead, they receive a dedicated disposable sampler ready for standard laboratory analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy, supporting efficient sample processing while eliminating the post-analysis cleaning, reassembly, and reloading required with reusable sampler bodies.
The disposable format also minimizes concerns about maintaining or servicing reusable sampler hardware, helping laboratories focus on analytical quality rather than sampler maintenance.
Designed for Today's OEHS Programs
Occupational and environmental health and safety professionals are continually asked to accomplish more with limited resources. The SKC HgChek Disposable Elemental Mercury Passive Sampler was developed to simplify elemental mercury vapor sampling by eliminating reusable sampler maintenance while supporting recognized sampling methods.
By reducing preparation time in the field and post-analysis handling in the laboratory, HgChek helps streamline the entire sampling process, allowing professionals to focus on what matters most: obtaining reliable exposure data to help protect worker health.
Learn how the SKC HgChek Disposable Elemental Mercury Passive Sampler can simplify your workflows.
Karin Galligan is Public Relations Manager at SKC Inc. A proud SKC team member for 30 years, she holds a BA in Visual Communication and post-graduate work from Waynesburg University and brings extensive SKC product and market expertise. She believes that clear, contextual communication helps support OEHS professionals in their mission to protect worker health and safety.
The content of this post is for informational or educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. SKC is not responsible for any damages or losses that may result from the use of the information or products mentioned in this post. While striving for accuracy, SKC does not guarantee that the information is always completely accurate, reliable, or up to date. Views and opinions expressed in this post belong to the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SKC.
