Voltammetric Assay of Mercury Ion in Fish Kidneys

Voltammetric analysis of mercury ions was developed using paste electrodes (PEs) with DNA and carbon nanotube mixed electrodes. The optimized analytical results of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the 1∼14 ng L^-1 Hg(II) concentration and the square wave (SW) stripping voltammetry of the 1∼12 ng L^-1 Hg(II) working range within an accumulation time of 400 seconds were obtained in 0.1 M NH₄H₂PO₄ electrolyte solutions of pH 4.0. For the relative standard deviations of the 1 ng L^-1 Hg(II), which were observed at 0.078% (n = 15) at the optimum conditions, the low detection limit (S/N) was pegged at 0.2 ng L^-1 (7.37 × 10^-13M) for Hg(II). The results can be applied to assays in biological fish kidneys and wastewater samples.