Determination of Hg(II) in drinking water by atomic absorption spectrometry - Cold vapour method after concentration by column extraction chromatography

The method describes concentration of mercury in samples of drinking water from water mains with Hg concentration above 1.0 . 10-7 g l-1 (5.0 . 10-10mol l-1) by means of extraction chromatography on a column packed with a carrier Synachrom E-5 wetted with saturated solution of bis(diethyldithiocarbamate)copper(II) complex in 1 : 1 mixture 1,2-dichlorobenzene + cyclohexane. After elution with 3.0 mol l-1 HCl the mercury concentration in the eluate is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry - cold vapour method. Average yield of the mercury separation from the model solutions was 95.8%.