Organomercury determination in biological reference materials: Application to a study on mercury speciation in marine mammals off the Faroee Islands
- Universita di Cagliari (Italy)
The potential use of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) for the organic mercury determination in marine biological tissues was evaluated. Following its isolation by acid extraction in toluene, organic mercury was recovered in aqueous thiosulfate and measured by GF-AAS. The detection limit was 0.01 microgram Hg/g (as methyl mercury). Analyses were conducted on three reference standard materials certified for their methyl mercury content, DOLT-1, DORM-1, and TORT-1, provided by the National Research Council of Canada. The method resulted in very good recovery and reproducibility, indicating that GF-AAS can provide results comparable to those obtained by using more expensive and time consuming analytical techniques. The method was applied to the analysis of liver tissues of pilot whale specimens (Globicephala melas) from the drive fishery of the Faroee Islands (northeast Atlantic). The results provided useful information on the proportion of different mercury forms in the liver of these marine mammals.
- OSTI ID:
- 6833504
- Journal Information:
- Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States), Journal Name: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States) Vol. 24:1; ISSN EESADV; ISSN 0147-6513
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY
CANADA
CETACEANS
DETECTION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
EXTRACTION
GLANDS
HYDROCARBONS
LIVER
MAMMALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
SPECTROSCOPY
TISSUES
TOLUENE
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION