Rapid determination of methyl mercury in fish and shellfish: collaborative study

A modification of the official AOAC method for determining methyl mercury in fish and shellfish was studied in 8 laboratories. Methyl mercury is isolated from homogenized, acetone-washed tissue by adding HCl and extracting into toluene the methyl mercuric chloride produced. The extract is analyzed for methyl mercuric chloride by electron capture gas chromatography. Collaborators determined methyl mercury in blind duplicate homogenates at 2 levels in tuna and at 1 level in swordfish and oysters. Collaborators also analyzed single homogenates of swordfish and oysters containing methyl mercury at a second level. Both fortified and unfortified tissues were analyzed. Methyl-bound mercury in the commodities ranged from 0.50 to 2.30 micrograms Hg/g. Reproducibility coefficients of variation ranged from 4 to 15%. Accuracy, measured by comparison to reference values, ranged from 92 to 101%. Recovery from fortified homogenates ranged from 86 to 98%. Reference values and unfortified levels were determined in the author's laboratory by replicate analysis of fortified and unfortified commodities. The method has been approved interim official first action.