Accurate reporting of mercury concentration requires a detailed model that includes experimental parameters that vary, such as: pressure, temperature, concentration, absorption cross-section, and isotopic structure etc. During this quarter a theoretical model has been developed to model the 253.7 nm mercury transition. In addition, while testing the interferent species SO{sub 2}, SRD was able to determine the absorption cross-section experimentally and add this to the theoretical model. Assuming that the baseline losses are due to the mirror reflectivity and SO{sub 2}, SRD can now determine the concentrations of both mercury and SO{sub 2} from the data taken. For the CRD instrument to perform as a continuous emission monitor it will be required to monitor mercury concentrations over extended periods of time. The stability of monitoring mercury concentrations over time with the CRD apparatus was tested during the past quarter. During a test which monitored the mercury concentration every 2 seconds it was found that the standard deviation, of a signal from about 1.25 ppb Hg, was only 30 ppt. SRD continued interferent gas testing during this past quarter. This included creating a simulated flue gas composed of the gases tested individually by SRD. The detection limits for mercury, although dependent on the concentration of SO{sub 2} in the simulated gas matrix, remained well below the ppb range. It was determined that for the gases tested the only measurable changes in the baseline level occurred for SO{sub 2} and mercury. Speciation studies continued with mercury chloride (HgCl{sub 2}). This included checking for spectral speciation with both Hg and HgCl{sub 2} present in the CRD cavity. There was no observable spectral shift. Also a pyrolysis oven was incorporated into the gas delivery system both for tests with HgCl{sub 2} as well as atomization of the entire gas stream. The pyrolysis tests conducted have been inconclusive thus far.