On-line sample preparation for the automated sequential determination of HG in blood, urine and waste water
- Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer GmbH, Ueberlingen (Germany)
The accurate determination of mercury in environmental and clinical samples such as waste water, urine or blood with the cold vapour technique requires a complete oxidation and stabilization of mercury in the liquid phase prior to its reduction. It has been shown that the oxidation of all relevant organo-mercury compounds in this type of matrix can be achieved on-line by an appropriate oxidizing agent used in an open microwave system coupled to a flow injection cold vapour system. The various matrices, however, are handled individually. Blood samples, for example are diluted and injected into a neutral carrier. The acid to start the reaction is added on-line only shortly before the sample enters the heating zone of the microwave oven. Urine and waste water on the other hand are acidified already in the autosampler vessel and the microwave digestion is used for completion of the oxidation only. In this application, blood, urine and waste water, three most commonly encountered matrices, were analyzed using the same FIAS and microwave parameters in an automated run. The time for one individual measurement including the on-line deposition is about 90s. The detection limits obtained with a mercury specific detector is about 20 nm/L for urine and waste water and 100 ng/L for blood.
- OSTI ID:
- 466541
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-951017--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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