Determination of mercury in slurried samples by both batch and on-line microwave digestion–cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1099-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn J. Lamble ◽  
Steve J. Hill
2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith E. Levine ◽  
Reshan A. Fernando ◽  
M. Lang ◽  
Amal Essader ◽  
Robert W. Handy ◽  
...  

A method for the determination of total mercury in rat adipose tissue by cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVAFS) has been developed. Adipose samples were initially subjected to a lyophilization procedure in order to facilitate the homogenization and accurate weighing of small tissue aliquots (~50 mg). A closed vessel microwave digestion procedure using a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids was used to liberate mercury from the adipose matrix. All mercury species were quantitatively oxidized to Hg(II) by a potassium bromate/bromide oxidation, then reduced to Hg(0) vapour by stannous chloride prior to fluorescence detection. The CVAFS exhibited a linear range of 10 pg Hg/ml to 120 pg Hg/ml. The method detection limit in solution was 2 pg Hg/ml, or 1 ng Hg/g adipose tissue, based on a nominal 50 mg sample and a final volume of 25 ml. A reference material from the National Research Council of Canada (DOLT-2, trace metals in dogfish liver) was prepared in quadruplicate in order to assess the accuracy and precision of the method. Mercury in this material was recovered at 2.22 ± 0.08 μ g/g, which is 104% of the certified level (2.14 ± 0.10 μ g/g).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document