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Determination of methylmercury by the species‐specific isotope addition method using a newly developed HPLC–ICP MS coupling technique with ultrasonic nebulization
Author(s) -
Wilken R.D.,
Falter R.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
applied organometallic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1099-0739
pISSN - 0268-2605
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0739(199808/09)12:8/9<551::aid-aoc760>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - chemistry , methylmercury , mercury (programming language) , detection limit , chromatography , high performance liquid chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , distillation , isotope , stable isotope ratio , inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , selenium , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language , physics , quantum mechanics
A novel technique has been developed for the determination of trace amounts of methylmercury in various sample matrices. The newly developed HPLC method makes it possible to separate methylmercury and inorganic mercury with ultrasonic nebulization and detection by ICP MS for different mercury isotopic masses. The isotope‐specific detection allows the application of the species‐specific isotope addition method for the determination of methylmercury with a correction for artifact formation. The well‐known water‐vapour distillation method was used in combination with an enriched stable inorganic mercury isotope ( 200 Hg 2+ ) for the separation of methylmercury from various matrices. The subsequent determination of CH 3 — 200 Hg + generated from 200 Hg 2+ was used in the correction for artifact formation during sample preparation. In comparison with a previously developed HPLC coupling technique with HPF–HHPN (high‐performance flow/hydraulic high‐pressure nebulization), the stability of the detection procedure was improved considerably. The limit of detection ( S/N = 3) for methylmercury was calculated to be about 0.015 μg kg ‐1 . © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.