ISSN:
0268-2605
Keywords:
Liquid chromatography (HPLC)
;
atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS)
;
methylmercury
;
ethylmercury
;
organomercury
;
sediment
;
Chemistry
;
Organic Chemistry
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
A new method for the analysis of organic mercury compounds is reported. The organomercurials are separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compounds are converted to mercury(0) in a continuous-flow system by means of an oxidizing and a subsequent reducing solution. The elemental mercury generated is swept into the cell of an atomic fluorescence spectrometer (AFS) by a stream of argon. The compositions of the oxidizing solution, which contains peroxodisulphate and copper(II) in dilute sulphuric acid, and the reducing solution, which contains alkaline tin(II) chloride, were optimized, as were the gas-liquid separator (GLS), the condensing system and the geometry of the reaction coils. The method is applied to extracts of certified reference material (CRM) and to river sediments. High concentrations of methylmercury were found in the sediment samples. At one location, the presence of ethylmercury is derived from the sample chromatogram.
Additional Material:
6 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aoc.590070303
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