Microwave Plasma Metals Continuous Emissions Monitor Project Year End Report 1998

Significant progress was made during the past year to develop a sensitive, real-time continuous emissions monitor for accurately measuring a variety of hazardous (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA) metals which can be present in the off-gas or stack gas of a thermal treatment process. The current work has focused on six metals: arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury. The year started with the analysis of results from a joint DOE/EPA sponsored performance test at the EPA Rotary The majority of the activity during the year has been occupied with laboratory research and development at the MIT Plasma and Science Fusion Center to make performance improvements in the microwave-plasma continuous emissions monitor. The main features of this activity has involved the development and characterization of a fieldable calibration method, experiments with various longer and narrower plasma dimensions, improvements in optics and microwave component configurations, and measurement of plasma parameters to improve understanding of metals emission performance.