Determination of low-level mercury by cold vapor generation and atomic absorption spectroscopy Page: 7 of 27
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UNCLASSIFIED ARH-LD-160
3
SUMMARY AND CONSLUSIONS
A highly sensitive procedure for determining mercury by cold vapor flame-
less atomic absorption spectroscopy was developed. The mercury standards
have concentrations ranging from .05 to .07 jg mercury in 50 ml solutions
(.001 - .015 jg/ml). Lower standard concentrations can be used if scale
expanding modes are employed. The amount of mercury in the customer sample
is determined by comparing the sample absorbance to a calibration curve
made from the absorbances of the mercury standards. The curve is linear to
.75 yg mercury in 50 ml solutions with bending of the curve becoming pro-
nounced at the 1.0 ug mercury per 50 ml solution level. The standard devi-
ation for all samples and calibration standards used in the development of
the procedure is less than t 1%.
Twenty-seven ions were tested in the procedure for interfering effects.
(Table II) No interferences were found for those ions common to the custo-
mer samples. However, severe interferences were recorded for Ag(I) and
Cu(II) especially in basic solutions. The interfering effects of these
ions can be reduced by using an acidic medium and eliminating the Cl-
from the reducing solution.5 Temperature changes reportedly cause differ-
ences in peak height resulting from changes in the rate of mercury evolution
from the solution.6 However, the small amount of heat, which would be
generated by the radioactivity of the samples after the many dilutions are
made was found to have no effect on the procedure. The precision, sensiti-
vity, lack of interferences, and ease of operation in this procedure make
it applicable to all routine and non-routine samples which might require
mercury analysis.UNCLASSIFIED
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King, A.D. Determination of low-level mercury by cold vapor generation and atomic absorption spectroscopy, report, June 1, 1977; United States. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1059904/m1/7/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.