The atmospheric sampler....almost there

Susan: Mercury emissions to the atmosphere are mainly from combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and waste incineration.It undergoes various reactions and is deposited to the earth e.g. by rainfall. Another set of steps in aquatic systems make it possible for the toxin to end up in fish and finally in the human population. This makes the measurement of levels of atmospheric mercury necessary.
A strike by workers in South Africa and maybe some bad luck meant that the atmospheric sampler was held in customs for longer than was expected. Fortunately, the instrument was released on Wednesday. Rob M. and I spent Friday setting it up. Part of the instrument has to be housed i.e. the analyzer part of the instrument while the sampling part has to be out in the open. We bought a large sheet metal box at a store called Kit Kat close to the CSIR in Pretoria. Finding a unit that can has enough room for all the different parts has been a challenge. Tristan helped us mount the sampling portion in an upright position on the roof of a building on the CSIR complex. Unfortunately, we couldnot immediately start running the instrument because the supply of a transformer required for power conversion has been delayed. Hopefully, it can be delivered soon