Sequential extraction and thermal desorption of mercury from contaminated soil and tailings from Mongolia

Mercury forms in contaminated environmental samples were studied by means of sequential extraction and thermal desorption from the solid phase. The sequential extraction procedure involved the following fractions: water soluble mercury, mercury extracted in acidic conditions, mercury bound to humic substances, elemental Hg and mercury bound to complexes, HgS, and residual mercury. In addition to sequential extraction, the distribution of mercury species as a function of soil particles size was studied. The thermal desorption method is based on the thermal decomposition or desorption of Hg compounds at different temperatures. The following four species were observed: Hg⁰, HgCl₂, HgS and Hg^(II) bound to humic acids. The Hg release curves from artificial soils and real samples were obtained and their applicability to the speciation analysis was considered.      

Hydrophilic sulfonated bis-1,2,4-triazine ligands are highly effective reagents for separating actinides(iii) from lanthanides(iii) via selective formation of aqueous actinide complexes

We report the first examples of hydrophilic 6,6′-bis(1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine (BTBP) and 2,9-bis(1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (BTPhen) ligands, and their applications as actinide(iii) selective aqueous complexing agents. The combination of a hydrophobic diamide ligand in the organic phase and a hydrophilic tetrasulfonated bis-triazine ligand in the aqueous phase is able to separate Am(iii) from Eu(iii) by selective Am(iii) complex formation across a range of nitric acid concentrations with very high selectivities, and without the use of buffers. In contrast, disulfonated bis-triazine ligands are unable to separate Am(iii) from Eu(iii) in this system. The greater ability of the tetrasulfonated ligands to retain Am(iii) selectively in the aqueous phase than the corresponding disulfonated ligands appears to be due to the higher aqueous solubilities of the complexes of the tetrasulfonated ligands with Am(iii). The selectivities for Am(iii) complexation observed with hydrophilic tetrasulfonated bis-triazine ligands are in many cases far higher than those found with the polyaminocarboxylate ligands previously used as actinide-selective complexing agents, and are comparable to those found with the parent hydrophobic bis-triazine ligands. Thus we demonstrate a feasible alternative method to separate actinides from lanthanides than the widely studied approach of selective actinide extraction with hydrophobic bis-1,2,4-triazine ligands such as CyMe₄-BTBP and CyMe₄-BTPhen.     

Ultra-trace arsenic and mercury speciation and determination in blood samples by ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with flow injection-hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy

A simple, fast, and sensitive method for speciation and determination of As (III, V) and Hg (II, R) in human blood samples based on ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) and flow injection hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HG/CV-AAS) has been developed. Tetraethylthiuram disulfide, mixed ionic liquids (hydrophobic and hydrophilic ILs) and acetone were used in the DLLME step as the chelating agent, extraction and dispersive solvents, respectively. Using a microwave assisted-UV system, organic mercury (R-Hg) was converted to Hg(II) and total mercury amount was measured in blood samples by the presented method. Total arsenic content was determined by reducing As(V) to As(III) with potassium iodide and ascorbic acid in a hydrochloric acid solution. Finally, As(V) and R-Hg were determined by mathematically subtracting the As(III) and Hg(II) content from the total arsenic and mercury, respectively. Under optimum conditions, linear range and detection limit (3σ) of 0.1–5.0 µg L^?1 and 0.02 µg L^?1 for As(III) and 0.15–8.50 µg L^?1 and 0.03 µg L^?1 for Hg(II) were achieved, respectively, at low RSD values of < 4% (N = 10). The developed method was successfully applied to determine the ultra-trace amounts of arsenic and mercury species in blood samples; the validation of the method was performed using standard reference materials.     

Structural diversity of isothiocyanato Cd(II) and Zn(II) Girard’s T hydrazone complexes in solution and solid state: effect of H-bonding on coordination number and supramolecular assembly of Cd(II) complex in solid state

The isothiocyanato Zn(II) complex (1) and mixed isothiocyanato/thiocyanato Cd(II) complex (2) with the condensation product of 2-acetylpyridine and trimethylammoniumacetohydrazide chloride (Girard’s T reagent) (HLCl) were investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The crystal structures of both complexes showed tridentate N₂O coordination of hydrazine ligand. In complex 1 square-pyramidal coordination surrounding of Zn(II) consists of deprotonated hydrazone ligand and two isothiocyanato ligands, while in octahedral Cd(II) complex ligand is coordinated without deprotonation as a positively charged species and coordination geometry is completed with two N-coordinated and one S-coordinated NCS^? anions. NMR spectroscopy and molar conductivity results for Cd(II) and Zn(II) complexes indicated their instability in solution. DFT calculations were performed to explain coordination preference and stability of complexes 1 and 2 in solid state and in solution. The obtained Cd(II) complex is the first reported mononuclear pseudohalide/halide Cd(II) complex with quinoline-/pyridine-based hydrazone ligands possessing octahedral geometry in solid state. In this complex, H-bonding has significant impact on coordination number and supramolecular assembly in solid state.     

Supramolecular assemblages through metal-η-arene π-interactions: Synthesis and X-ray characterization of {Hg[NNN(PhR)2]2}n (R = NO2, F), a bis diaryl-substituted triazenide complex polymer of Hg(II)

3-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-(3-nitrophenyl)triazene reacts with mercury(II) acetate in tetrahydrofuran in the presence of 2,2′-bipyridilamine to give yellow crystalline blocks of polymeric {Hg^II[NNN(PhR)₂]₂}_n (R = NO₂, F). The new triazenide complex belongs to the triclinic space group . In a molecule of {Hg^II[NNN(PhR)₂]₂} two deprotonated 1,3-diaryl-substituted triazenide ligands are coordinated in an opposite way to one Hg(II) ion by means of primary and secondary bonds. The Hg(II) ions are placed on the inversion centers of translation operated {Hg[NNN(PhR)₂]₂} moieties which are stacked along the crystallographic a-axis forming infinite unidimensional chains linked through metalocene alike Hg-η²,η²-arene π-interactions.     

Untersuchungen der kernmagnetischen Resonanz von Phosphorverbindungen. XXXI. Spin-Spin-Kopplungskonstanten in Phosphin- und Phosphit-Komplexen von Quecksilber (II), Cadmium und Zinn

NMR Studies of Phosphorus Compounds. XXXI. Spin-Spin Coupling Constants in Phosphine and Phosphite Complexes of Mercury(II), Cadmium, and Tin The ¹⁹⁹Hg? ³¹P spin spin coupling constants and the chemical shifts δ_P for 20 mercury(II) complexes with triorganyl phosphines and phosphites as ligands are reported. The effect of the ligand electronegativity on coupling constant and chemical shift is more clearly evident than in the corresponding platinum(II)-complexes. Furthermore corresponding data for some cadmium and tin complexes are tabulated.     

Solid state and solution NMR studies of some new complexes of mercury selenocyanate with imidazolidine-2-thione and its derivatives

Reactions of imidazolidine-2-thione (Imt), 1,3-diazinane-2-thione (Diaz) and 1,3-diazipane-2-thione (Diap) with mercury(II) selenocyanate in acetonitrile resulted in formation of 2?:?1 complexes. Both solid state and solution NMR, confirm the exocyclic sulfur atom to be the donor in all cases. ¹⁹⁹Hg shielding tensors and anisotropies were calculated from the solid-state NMR spectra. Based on the solid NMR data a distorted tetrahedral disposition of ligands around mercury is proposed.     

Chemical shifts and spin-spin couplings of the metal nuclei with the carbon13C nuclei in the ligand in mercury and cadmium bisheteroarylformazanates

The bis-S-(2-heteroaryl)formazanates of mercury and cadmium ML₂ (where L = S-quinoxalyl- or 5benzothiazolylformazanate), having a pseudooctahedral structure, were studied by¹³C¹⁹⁹Hg, and^113,111Cd NMR methods. The¹⁹⁹Hg and^113,111Cd NMR chemical shifts and also the spin-spin coupling constants of these nuclei with the¹³C nuclei of the ligands were measured. The results of the experiments indicate conjugation in the metal chelate rings of the complexes, including the ring containing the atoms of the heterocycle, and also participation of the f orbitals of the mercury with various symmetry groups in the formation of a -type MO, leading to different types of transmission of coupling through the various coordination points. The¹⁹⁹Hg and^111,113Cd chemical shifts were also measured for the respective mercury and cadmium complexes.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1280–1290, September, 1995.     

A 199Hg NMR spectroscopic study of two and three-coordinate methylmercury(II) complexes, [MeHgL]NO3

¹⁹⁹Hg NMR spectra are reported for the complexes [MeHgL]NO₃ containing either two- (e.g. L = pyridine) or three-coordinate mercury (e.g. L = 2,2′-bipyridyl). For unidentate and bidentate ligands of similar basicity chelation with bidentate ligands to give three-coordinate mercury results in upfield shifts of ¹⁹⁹Hg resonances from that of the linear complexes. For complexes of unidentate ligands shifts correlate with changes in base strength of the ligands, and methyl substitution in the 2 position of pyridine appears to result in an upfield shift of ca. 30 ppm. Effects of substitution in the 2 position are very strong in complexes of unidentate 2-benzylpyridine and 3,3′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl. Comparison of the ¹⁹⁹Hg shifts with J(¹H-¹⁹⁹Hg) shows the coupling constant to be insensitive to substitution in the 2 position in linear complexes and is a function only of the ligand base strength.     

Crystal structure,DFT study,antimicrobial properties and DNA cleavage potential and thermal behavior of some new mercury complexes

In this study, a new bidentate Schiff base ligand (L) entitled as N,N’-bis(dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine and its mercury complexes were synthesized. The Schiff base ligand and its complexes were characterized using FT-IR, ¹H-, ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, molar conductivity and electronic spectral study. Regarding physical and spectral data, the general formula for the complexes was suggested as HgLX₂ (L = Schiff base ligand and X = Cl^?, Br^?, I^?, SCN^?, N₃ ^?). For structural identification of these complexes, crystal structure of mercury iodide complex was analyzed as typical one. In the structure of this complex, Hg ion is surrounded by 2 iodide ions and 2 N atoms from the Schiff base ligand to form a four-coordinated mercury complex in triclinic system with space group of P ₁. Angular index (τ ₄) value was evaluated equal to 0.85, so the geometry around the mercury ion in this complex can be described as trigonal pyramid. A layered supramolecular structure for HgLI₂ complex is stabilized by C–H···I and C–H···π interactions in solid state. DFT study on the ligand and its complexes was also carried out, and then some calculated and experimental structural parameters of HgLI₂ were compared. Thermal behaviors of the titled compounds were investigated by thermogravimetric analyses. Furthermore, biological properties of the ligand and its complexes were examined against some Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and also against 2 fungi. Finally, the interaction of the ligand and its complexes with DNA was investigated by electrophoresis method.     

Ether formation on the tridentate Schiff base ligands of copper(II) complexes

A series of copper(II) complexes, CuL·imidazole, where L^2? are tridentate Schiff base ligands formed by condensation of salicylaldehyde with a series of amino acids, have been synthesized. Visible spectral data indicate that copper(II) in these complexes are five coordinate in the solid state and in solution. Electrospray mass spectrometry has been used to show how these complexes react in alcohol/NaOH solutions with and without the presence of d-galactose. In the absence of d-galactose where the amino acid in the ligand is serine, the alcohol group on the ligand is converted to its alkyl ether after sonication of the solution for up to 4?h. In the presence of d-galactose, an alkoxy group is added to the ligands except for the ligand containing serine after sonication of the solutions for up to 4?h. At the same time, d-galactose is oxidized to its aldehyde. Where the ligand contains methionine, oxygen is also added to the ligand, most likely to the thioether sulfur.     

Dual-cloud point extraction as a preconcentration and clean-up technique for capillary electrophoresis speciation analysis of mercury

A novel dual-cloud point extraction (dCPE) technique is proposed in this paper for the sample pretreatment of capillary electrophoresis (CE) speciation analysis of mercury. In dCPE, cloud point was carried out twice in a sample pretreatment. First, four mercury species, methylmercury (MeHg), ethylmercury (EtHg), phenylmercury (PhHg), and inorganic mercury (Hg(II)) formed hydrophobic complexes with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN). After heating and centrifuging, the complexes were extracted into the formed Triton X-114 surfactant-rich phase. Instead of the direct injection or analysis, the surfactant-rich phase containing the four Hg species was treated with 150 microL 0.1% (m/v) l-cysteine aqueous solution. The four Hg species were then transferred back into aqueous phase by forming hydrophilic Hg-l-cysteine complexes. After dCPE, the aqueous phase containing the Hg-l-cysteine complexes was subjected into electrophoretic capillary for mercury speciation analysis. Because the concentration of Triton X-114 in the extract after dCPE was only around critical micelle concentration, the adsorption of surfactant on the capillary wall and its possible influence on the sample injection and separation in traditional CPE were eliminated. Plus, the hydrophobic interfering species were removed thoroughly by using dCPE resulted in significant improvement in analysis selectivity. Using 10 mL sample, 17, 15, 45, and 52 of preconcentration factors for EtHg, MeHg, PhHg, and Hg(II) were obtained. With CE separation and on-line UV detection, the detection limits were 45.2, 47.5, 4.1, and 10.0 microg L(-1) (as Hg) for EtHg, MeHg, PhHg, and Hg(II), respectively. As an analysis method, the present dCPE-CE with UV detection obtained similar detection limits as of some CE-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) hyphenation technique, but with simple instrumental setup and obviously low costs. Its utilization for Hg speciation was validated by the analysis of the spiked natural water and tilapia muscle samples.     

Synthesis and structure of novel copper(II) complexes with pyrazole derived ligands and metal–ligand interaction in solution

Two new ligands of the coumarin type have been synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR and MS. The crystal and molecular structures of ligand 2, determined by the X-ray diffraction method, are presented. With copper(II) these ligands create solid complexes of the type CuLCl₂, where L is 5-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-methyl-1-(2-pyridinyl)pyrazol-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (2) or 3-methyl-1-(2-pyridinyl)-1H-chromene[4,3-c]pyrazol-4-on (3). The new copper(II) complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and solid state FT-IR. The protonation constants of ligands 2 and 3 have been determined in 5% v/v 1,4-dioxane–water solution (25 °C). The coordination modes in the complexes with copper(II) are discussed for 2 on the basis of potentiometric and UV–Vis data.     

The influence of structural factors on the solvation and coordination unsaturation of metal complexes of several structurally related alkyl substituted dipyrrolylmethenes-2,2′ and porphin

The literature data and new results of calorimetric studies of the solution of copper(II), cobalt(II), zinc(II), nickel(II), and mercury(II) complexes with 3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexamethyldipyrrolylmethene-2,2′; 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-diethyldipyrrolylmethene-2,2′; 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-dibutyldipyrrolylmethene-2,2′ (A), and 2,8,12,18-tetramethyl-3,7,13,17-tetrabutylporphin in various organic solvents were used to calculate the enthalpies of transfer Δ_tr H ^o from benzene and estimate the contribution of specific solvation caused by the additional coordination (Δ_c H ^o) of electron donor solvent molecules (pyridine and dimethylformamide). The greatest degree of coordination unsaturation and ability to extracoordination was characteristic of copper(II) and mercury(II) complexes with ligand A. The influence of the nature of the complex-forming metal, differences in the alkylation of the ligands, solvent properties, and the macrocyclization effect on the solvation and coordination unsaturation of metal complexes was discussed.     

Bulk polymer nanoparticles containing a tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin for fast and highly selective separation of mercury ions

We report on the synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) containing a tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin, and their use for the separation of mercury(II) ion. The PNPs were prepared by bulk polymerization from methacrylic acid (the monomer), ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (the cross-linker), 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (the radical initiator) and the mercury(II) complex of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)-porphyrin. The Hg(II) ion was then removed by treatment with dilute hydrochloric acid. The PNPs were characterized by colorimetry, FT-IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The material is capable of binding Hg(II) from analyte samples. Bound Hg(II) ions can be eluted with dilute nitric acid and then quantified by cold vapor AAS. The extraction efficiency, the effects of pH, preconcentration and leaching times, sample volume, and of the nature, concentration and volume of eluent were investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of the PNPs is 249 mg g^?1, the relative standard deviation of the AAS assay is 2.2 %, and the limit of detection (3σ) is 8 ng.L^?1. The nanoparticles exhibit excellent selectivity for Hg(II) ion over other metal ions and were successfully applied to the selective extraction and determination of Hg(II) ion in spiked water samples.

Coordination modes of 3-hydroxypicolinic acid: Synthesis and structural characterization of polymeric mercury(II) complexes

Novel mercury(II) compounds of 3-hydroxypicolinic acid (HpicOH; IUPAC name: 3-hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) were synthesized and characterized. HgCl(picOH) (1) and HgBr₂(HpicOH) (2) were obtained as reaction products from the reaction of the corresponding mercury(II) halide with HpicOH, irrespective of the molar ratio of the reactants. From the reaction of HpicOH and mercury(II) acetate, Hg(picOH)₂ (3) was obtained, while mercury(II) nitrate monohydrate gave the 1/1 solvate with water Hg(picOH)₂ · H₂O (3a). Infrared, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic data were analyzed for complexes 1, 2 and 3. X-ray crystal structure analysis of 1 and 2 revealed their polymeric nature and different coordination modes of HpicOH. In 1 the deprotonated picolinic acid is N,O-chelating and bridging, while in 2 HpicOH is a O-monodentate weakly bound ligand. Compound 1 consists of HgCl(picOH) moieties with two linear covalent bonds, Hg–N 2.143(4) and Hg–Cl 2.298(1) Å, and four additional Hg?O contacts (2.460(3)–2.904(3) Å) in which both oxygen atoms from the carboxylic group are bridging and involved in coordination to three neighboring mercury atoms, thus forming infinite layers. The coordination of mercury is 2 + 4. 2 consists of {HgBr₂(HpicOH)} moieties, which are linked into chains by means of mercury to bromine secondary long range interactions. The coordination sphere of mercury can be described as irregular 2 + 3 formed by two covalently bonded bromine atoms (Hg–Br 2.277(1) and 2.366(1) Å), two bridging bromine atoms (Hg?Br 3.309(1) and 3.247(1) Å) and by the HpicOH ligand attached to mercury in the zwitterionic form via the carboxylic oxygen atom (Hg?O 2.602(7) Å).     

Synthesis, characterisation and X-ray structures of diorganotin(IV) and iron(III) complexes of dianionic terdentate Schiff base ligands

Diorganotin(IV) complexes, [SnR₂L] (1)-(4), (R = Me, Ph), of the terdentate Schiff bases N-[(2-pyrroyl)methylidene]-N′-tosylbenzene-1,2-diamine (H₂L¹) and N-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)metylidene]-N′-tosylbenzene-1,2-diamine (H₂L²) have been synthesised. The complexes were obtained by addition of the appropriate ligand to a methanol suspension of the corresponding diorganotin(IV) dichloride in the presence of triethylamine. However, the reaction between the precursor [η⁵-C₅H₅Fe(CO)₂]₂SnCl₂ and the Schiff bases in the presence of triethylamine gave (5) and (6), respectively. The crystal structures of the ligands and complexes have been studied by X-ray diffraction. The structure of [SnR₂L] complexes shows the tin to be five-coordinate in a distorted square pyramidal environment with the dianionic ligand acting in a terdentate manner. In 5 and 6, the iron atom is in a slightly distorted octahedral environment and is meridionally coordinated by two ligands. Spectroscopic data for the ligands and complexes (IR, ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR and mass spectra) are discussed and related to the structural information.