Abstract
Mercury cell chlor-alkali products are used to produce thousands of other products including food ingredients such as citric acid, sodium benzoate, and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is used in food products to enhance shelf life. A pilot study was conducted to determine if high fructose corn syrup contains mercury, a toxic metal historically used as an anti-microbial. High fructose corn syrup samples were collected from three different manufacturers and analyzed for total mercury. The samples were found to contain levels of mercury ranging from below a detection limit of 0.005 to 0.570 micrograms mercury per gram of high fructose corn syrup. Average daily consumption of high fructose corn syrup is about 50 grams per person in the United States. With respect to total mercury exposure, it may be necessary to account for this source of mercury in the diet of children and sensitive populations.
Highlights
Chlorine and caustic soda are produced at chlor-alkali plants using mercury cells or the increasingly popular membrane technology that is mercury free and more energy-efficient
These chlor-alkali plants have an average of fifty-six cells, each containing as much as 8,000 pounds of mercury [4] and, every year the chloralkali industry reports unaccounted for mercury losses to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [5]
Blanks, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference material Oyster Tissue 1566 b were analyzed by the following method using Optima Grade Fisher Scientific hydrochloric and nitric acids that were certified to contain less than 0.0001 microgram mercury per gram (g) reagent
Summary
Chlorine and caustic soda are produced at chlor-alkali plants using mercury cells or the increasingly popular membrane technology that is mercury free and more energy-efficient. Vulcan Chemical submitted this mercury balance sheet to the Wisconsin DNR in 2003 with their wastewater discharge permit re-issuance application This information led to the realization that mercury residue may be found in all products produced by the mercury cell chlor-alkali industry. A representative of the Chlorine Institute confirmed in a telephone interview that the amount of mercury residue in mercury cell chlor-alkali products varies, depending on the manufacturing process at each plant It is found in mercury grade caustic soda according to product specification sheets [8]. Blanks (water and acid matrix), and NIST standard reference material Oyster Tissue 1566 b were analyzed by the following method using Optima Grade Fisher Scientific hydrochloric and nitric acids that were certified to contain less than 0.0001 microgram (μg) mercury per gram (g) reagent. Of the remaining ten samples from two other manufacturers, two were below the detection limit and the mercury content of the other eight samples ranged from 0.065 μg to 0.570 μg mercury/g HFCS (Table 1)
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