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A new vapor generation system for mercury species based on the UV irradiation of mercaptoethanol used in the determination of total and methyl mercury in environmental and biological samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry

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Abstract

A new vapor generation system for mercury (Hg) species based on the irradiation of mercaptoethanol (ME) with UV was developed to provide an effective sample introduction unit for atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). Preliminary investigations of the mechanism of this novel vapor generation system were based on GC–MS and FT–IR studies. Under optimum conditions, the limits of determination for inorganic divalence mercury and methyl mercury were 60 and 50 pg mL−1, respectively. Certified reference materials (BCR 463 tuna fish and BCR 580 estuarine sediment) were used to validate this new method, and the results agreed well with certified values. This new system provides an attractive alternative method of chemical vapor generation (CVG) of mercury species compared to other developed CVG systems (for example, the traditional KBH4/NaOH–acid system). To our knowledge, this is the first systematic report on UV/ME-based Hg species vapor generation and the determination of total and methyl Hg in environmental and biological samples using UV/ME–AFS.

A new vapor generation system for mercury species using mercaptoethanol under UV irradiation was developed as an effective sample introduction unit for atomic fluorescence spectrometry

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20535020, 21075019) and the National Basic Research Program (No. 2003CD415001). The loans of a BRAIC 610A atomic fluorescence spectrometer and Shimadzu QP2010 GC–MS are very much appreciated. We thank Miss YL Zhao for her assistance in GC-MS experiment. Professor John Hodgkiss is thanked for his assistance with the English in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Yanmin Yin, Jianhua Qiu, Limin Yang & Qiuquan Wang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Qiuquan Wang

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  1. Yanmin Yin
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  2. Jianhua Qiu
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  3. Limin Yang
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  4. Qiuquan Wang
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Correspondence to Qiuquan Wang.

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Yin, Y., Qiu, J., Yang, L. et al. A new vapor generation system for mercury species based on the UV irradiation of mercaptoethanol used in the determination of total and methyl mercury in environmental and biological samples by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 388, 831–836 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1122-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1122-5

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