Abstract
The charring of samples and loss of mercury by a nitric-sulfuric acid mixture has been overcome by prior digestion with nitric acid, followed by the addition of sulfuric acid into the final solution. This approach provides optimum decomposition and analytical conditions for a reliable cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric determination of mercury in biological and environmental materials. In all cases, the presence of sulfuric acid improved the sensitivity of the mercury response significantly. Furthermore, the prior- and post-addition of sulfuric acid gave similar sensitivity and mercury concentrations for all samples. The adequacy of the prior digestion with nitric acid and post-addition sulfuric acid for reliable mercury determination was successfully demonstrated for blood, bone, bovine liver, mushroom, lake sediment, peat and prawn samples.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Kldvere, Analyst [London], 115, 559 (1990).
C. E. Oda and J. D. Ingle, Jr., Anal Chem., 53, 2305 (1981).
M. Navarro, M. C. Lopez, H. Lopez and M. Sanchez, Anal Chim. Acta, 257, 155 (1992).
J. Falandysz, Food Chem., 38, 171 (1990).
K. Suetomi, H. Tsuzuki and T. Konishi, Analyst [London], 116, 261 (1991).
S. Landi, F. Fagioli, C. Locatelli and R. Vecchietti, Analyst [London], 115, 173 (1990).
Y. K. Soong, R. Tseng, C. Liu and P. W. Lin, J. Formosan Med. Assoc., 90, 59 (1991).
Ma. L. A. Cuvin-Analar, Aquaculture, 84, 277 (1990).
E. Uchino, T. Suzuki and K. Inoue, Lab. Animais, 24, 253 (1990).
B. J. Presley, T. J. Taylor and P. N. Boothe, Sci. Total Environ., 97/98, 551 (1990).
E. S. Lozas, G. Aggelousis and Alexakis, J. Food Composition Anal, 2, 371 (1989).
F. Fukushi, S. N. Willie and R. E. Sturgeon, Anal. Lett., 26, 325 (1993).
D. C. Baxter and W. Frech, Anal Chim. Acta, 236, 377 (1990).
B. L. Wilson and D. L. Mitchell, J. Environ. Sci. Health, A26, 493 (1991).
S. B. Adeloju, H. S. Dhindsa and R. K. Tandon, Anal. Chim. Acta, 285, 359 (1994).
T. T. Gorsuch, “The Destruction of Organic Matter”, pp. 79–84 and 138-143, Pergamon Press, Sydney, 1970.
J. F. Chapman and L. S. Dale, Anal Own. Acta, 101, 203 (1978).
J. F. Chapman and L. S. Dale, Anal Chim. Acta, 134, 379 (1982).
D. S. Stuart, Anal. Chim. Acta, 106, 411 (1979).
M. I. Hilmy, S. A. Rahim and A. H. Abbas, Toxicology, 6, 155 (1976).
P. Kalac, J. Burda and I. Staskova, Sci. Total Environ., 105, 109 (1991).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Adeloju, S.B., Dhindsa, H.S. & Mierzwa, J. Post-Addition of Sulfuric Acid to Wet Digested Biological and Environmental Materials for Mercury Determination by Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. ANAL. SCI. 13, 619–622 (1997). https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.13.619
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.13.619