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Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
Preconcentration speciation method for mercury compounds in water samples using solid phase extraction followed by
D M Sánchez1, R Martín, R Morante
1Analytical Chemistry Unit, Chemistry Area (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense, 22, E-28040, Madrid, Spain.
Talanta
|October 31, 2008
Summary
A new method uses solid phase extraction (SPE) with dithizone on a C18 cartridge for mercury preconcentration in water. This technique allows for accurate speciation analysis of methylmercury, phenylmercury, and inorganic mercury.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Mercury contamination in water poses significant environmental and health risks.
- Accurate speciation of mercury compounds is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple, rapid, and effective method for in situ preconcentration of mercury species in water samples.
- To enable reliable speciation analysis of inorganic mercury (Hg(II)), methylmercury (MeHg), and phenylmercury (PhHg).
Main Methods:
- Solid phase extraction (SPE) utilizing dithizone immobilized on a reversed-phase C18 cartridge for mercury preconcentration.
- Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the separation and quantification of mercury species.
Main Results:
- The developed SPE method achieved a 200-fold concentration of mercury from water samples.
- Stable adsorption of mercury complexes on the cartridge for at least 2 weeks.
- Linear calibration graphs (r>0.999) were obtained for MeHg, PhHg, and Hg(II) from their detection limits up to 38, 25, and 26 ng of Hg, respectively.
- Average recoveries for MeHg, PhHg, and Hg(II) from spiked samples ranged from 98% to 100% with low standard deviations.
Conclusions:
- The developed dithizone-based SPE method is a simple, rapid, and efficient technique for preconcentrating mercury species in water.
- This method facilitates accurate speciation analysis of inorganic and organic mercury compounds.
- The stability of adsorbed complexes and high recovery rates demonstrate the method's robustness for environmental monitoring.
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