ASTM D7482 Standard Practice for Sampling, Storage, and Handling of Hydrocarbons for Mercury Analysis
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 This practice describes the sampling, storage, transport, and handling of hydrocarbon samples used for determining mercury, and the precautions that need to be taken to prevent sample contamination and loss of analyte.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 This practice is intended for use in sampling liquid hydrocarbons including crude oils, condensates, refinery process intermediates, and refined products. Generally these samples are expected to contain mercury from the parts per billion (10(-9) mass) to parts per million (10(-6) mass) range.
5.2 This practice is not intended for use when sampling aqueous systems where the concentrations of mercury are often in the parts per trillion (10(-12) mass) range. These samples are often better addressed by using the rigorously clean techniques from the EPA Method 1669 "clean hands, dirty hands" sampling procedures.
5.3 This practice is not intended for use for liquefied samples, for which special containers may be required for pressurized samples.
5.4 The presence of mercury during crude oil production, transport, and refining can be an environmental and industrial hygiene concern.
