A simple ICP‐MS procedure for the determination of total mercury in whole blood and urine

A simple and sensitive procedure for total mercury in whole blood and urine using inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) is described. Specimens are prepared by precipitation‐extraction with 50% v/v hydrochloric acid containing EDTA and cysteine, centrifuged, and filtered through fritended screening column; the filtrates are directly analyzed by ICP‐MS. The method is linear between 2 and 200 μg/L in the specimen with an absolute sensitivity of 0.2 μg/L in the final supernatant. The assay variability at various concentrations (μg/L) of mercury are as follows: intra‐assay whole blood (n = 20)—4.6 ± 0.6(c.v. 12.3%), 18.3 ± 1.1(c.v.6.1%), 56.4 ± 2.8(c.v.5.0%); inter‐assay whole blood (n = 15)—5.7 ± 1.0(c.v.16.8%), 19.7 ± 2.7(c.v. 13.5%), and 50.1 ± 6.9(c.v.13.7%); urine (n = 20)—9.3 ± 1.2 (c.v. 12.9%), 29.6 ± 2.2 (c.v. 7.4%). Recovery of organic and inorganic mercury from blood samples ranges from 91.6% to 110.2%. The method is suitable for analysis of total mercury, both organic and inorganic, in whole blood and urine. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.