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Updated: May 29, 2026

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Published on: July 10, 2015
[Determination of Hg in biological samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry]
Dong Ma1, Dan Zhang, Xian-Yi Zhuo
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. madong@ssfjd.cn
Objective:
To establish an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for determination of Hg in biological samples.
Methods:
The samples were digested with microwave digestion instrument. ICP-MS was applied to detect Hg in blood, urine and hair specimens by using 115In as an internal marker. The ability of gold to eliminate the memory effect of mercury was investigated with the gold amalgamate produced by gold and mercury.
Results:
The limits of detection were in the 0.01 microg/L, and the accuracy of the method ranged from 97.0% to 107.1%. The concentration of gold was 10 microg/L and the memory effect of mercury was resolved.
Conclusion:
The method is accurate, rapid, sensitive and suitable for the cases of mercury poisoning and the clinical diagnosis and monitoring for patients with mercury poisoning.
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