Determination of Methylmercury in Natural Water Samples by Steam Distillation and Gas Chromatography−Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

1998 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl C. Bowles ◽  
Simon C. Apte
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Natural Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Steam Distillation ◽  
Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽  
Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽  
Atomic Fluorescence ◽  
Natural Water Samples

scholarly journals Simultaneous Determination of Methylmercury and Ethylmercury in Rice by Capillary Gas Chromatography Coupled On-line with Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

2005 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 665-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Bo Shi ◽  
Li-Na Liang ◽  
Gui-Bin Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Simultaneous Determination ◽  
Capillary Gas Chromatography ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽  
Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽  
Atomic Fluorescence ◽  
On Line ◽  
Rice Samples

Abstract A comprehensive method for simultaneous determination of methylmercury (MeHg) and ethylmercury (EtHg) in rice by capillary gas chromatography (GC) coupled on-line with atomic fluorescence spectrometry was developed. The experimental conditions, including the pyrolyzer temperature and flow rates of the make-up gas and sheath gas, were optimized in detail. The absolute detection limits (3σ) were 0.005 ng as Hg for both MeHg and EtHg. The relative standard deviation values (n = 5) for 10 ng Hg/mL of MeHg and EtHg were 2.5 and 1.3%, respectively. The method was evaluated by analyzing 2 certified reference materials (DORM-2 and GBW08508), and the determined values of MeHg and total mercury concentrations were in good agreement with the certified values. In addition, the recoveries of MeHg and EtHg spiked into a rice sample collected from Jiangsu province in China were 86 and 77%, respectively. The proposed method was applied to analysis of MeHg and EtHg in 25 rice samples cultivated in 15 provinces of China. In all samples, MeHg was detectable and no EtHg was found. The MeHg contents in rice samples ranged from 1.9 to 10.5 ng/g, accounting for 7–44% of the total mercury measured.

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