Mercury-cycling in surface waters and in the atmosphere — Species analysis for the investigation of transformation and transport properties of mercury

The river Elbe has been one of the most contaminated rivers with regard to mercury for many years. In 1991 a length-profile has been measured for mercury and methylmercury (CH₃Hg⁺) from Obristvi, Czech Republic, to the German bight. Total mercury has been measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The organo mercury compounds have been separated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) connected on-line to an atomic fluorescence spectrometer (AFS) by a continuous flow-system. Total mercury up to 120 mg Hg⁺/kg and CH₃Hg⁺ concentrations up to 130 μg CH₃ Hg⁺/kg could be detected in special sites. The formation of CH₃Hg⁺ in sediments can be caused besides the methylation of mercury, by sulphate reducing or methanogenic bacteria and transmethylation reactions with organometals. Atmospheric mercury concentrations have been measured at three different European sites. Samples have been collected on goldcoated glass balls or on quartz wool, respectively. After thermal desorption mercury has been determined using the two step amalgamation technique with AFS detection. Compared to natural background concentrations of total gaseous mercury (TGM), slightly increased levels could be detected at a rural site in Germany. This increase can probably be explained by long-range transport processes. Within the vicinity of a inactivated mercury production plant high concentrations of up to 13.5 ng/m³ particle associated mercury (Hg_part) have been detected. Consequently, dry deposition of mercury in the particulate form can intensify the total deposition flux close to Hg-emitting sources.     

Coulometric generation of hydrogen ions by oxidation of mercury in anhydrous acetone

The application of a mercury anode for the quantitative generation of H(+) ions in anhydrous acetone has been investigated. From the changes of anode potential with current density in 0.25M sodium perehlorate in anhydrous acetone it has been established that in this solvent mercury is oxidized at a potential which is much more negative than the oxidation potentials of the bases to be titrated, the indicator used and the solvent. Protons generated in this way have been used for titration of some organic bases, with either visual or potentiometric end-point detection. The oxidation of mercury in anhydrous acetone and the reaction of mercury ions with acetone have been found to proceed with 100% current efficiency.     

Amperometric complex-formation titration of traces of thorium

Thorium has been determined in the microgram range by complexometric titration with EDTA. The end-point was detected by following the anodic wave of EDTA at a rotating mercury electrode. It has been shown that thorium can be titrated in the presence of large amounts of other metals. Following electrolysis at a mercury pool electrode the titration is selective for thorium.     

Preparation and properties of a new chelating resin containing imidazolyl azo groups

 A new chelating resin incorporating imidazolyl azo groups into a matrix of polystyrene divinylbenzene has been prepared. The exchange capacity of the resin for the ions mercury(II), silver(I) and lead(II) as a function of pH has been determined. The resin exhibits no affinity to alkali, or alkaline earth metals. It is highly selective for only mercury(II) and silver(I). In column operation it has been observed that mercury(II) in trace quantities is very effectively removed from river water spiked with mercury(II) at the usual pH of natural waters. Received: 2 January 1996/Revised: 11 April 1996/Accepted: 16 April 1996     

Plasticized open-cell polyurethane foam as a universal matrix for organic reagents in trace element preconcentration : Part II. Collection of mercury traces on dithizone and diethyldithiocarbamate foams

The analytical suitability of zinc dithizonate foam for the collection and preconcentration of traces of mercury(II) has been examined. The effect of pH, plasticizer and chelating agent concentration on the collection rate of mercury has been critically investigated. The capacity for mercury(II) of a TBP-plasticized zinc dithizonate foam at pH 6 is 23.4 μeq g^?1. The effect of plasticizer on the rate of recovery of mercury with sodium thiosulphate solution is also discussed. The preparation of zinc diethyldithiocarbonate foam is described. Traces of mercury(II) can also be collected rapidly and quantitavely by this foam.     

Voltammetric study of the redox behaviour of the Hg(II)/Hg(I)/Hg system at a rotating metal-ring/glassy-carbon disc electrode

The reduction of Hg(II) at a glassy-carbon electrode in various electrolytes has been studied by rotating ring-disc voltammetry. Reduction proceeds directly to metallic mercury in a single 2-electron step. However, at the foot of the wave, and only during the first reduction sweep after pretreatment of the electrode surface, a small amount of Hg(I) species is detected at the ring. The appearance of an Hg(I) intermediate is most pronounced in sulphuric acid solution. The reduction of Hg(II) is found to proceed irreversibly and to be of first order. At sufficiently negative potentials the reduction is convective-diffusion controlled. Stripping voltammetric experiments indicate that the dissolution of mercury gives Hg(II) in complexing electrolytes. In non-complexing electrolytes the initially formed Hg(II) reacts with mercury atoms on the electrode surface to give Hg(I). During electrodissolution, two stripping peaks may be observed as a result of underpotential adsorption of mercury on glassy carbon. The difference in peak potential between the adsorption (mono) layer peak and the bulk mercury peak has been related to the difference in work functions of the deposit (mercury) and substrate (carbon). A rotating glassy-carbon electrode has been used for the anodic stripping determination of mercury. When an appropriate amount of a cation such as cadmium(II) or copper(II) is added to the test solution, mercury down to 2 x 10(-9)M (0.4 ng ml ) can be determined in acidified thiocyanate electrolyte with a relative standard deviation of about 22%.     

Electrochemistry of diphenylditelluride at the hanging mercury drop electrode in a protic medium

The electrochemical behavior of diphenylditelluride, Phi2Te2, at a hanging mercury drop electrode has been studied in an aqueous-ethanol solution at pH 7 by means of cyclic and ac voltammetry. The appearance of two cathodic peaks has been attributed to the reversible reduction of the first and all the successive monolayers of a film of PhiTe-Hg, which is formed by adsorption of Phi2Te2 at the mercury/solution interface. The different electrochemical properties of such monolayers have been explained.     

Enhancement of the reducing properties of metallic mercury in presence of complex forming ions

The reducing properties of metallic mercury in solutions containing ions forming precipitates or complexes with mercuric or mercurous ions have been studied.The reducing power of mercury in the presence of thiocyanate is greatly enhanced, and it is similar to that in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The effects of the thiocyanate and ferric concentrations have been examined. To reduce a 0.01 M solution of ferric ion without forming a precipitate of mercurous thiocyanate, a concentration of thiocyanate of at least 0.05 M is required. The action of mercurythiocyanate system on some oxidising substances has been studied. The most important reaction is the reduction of ferric ions. The method has been applied to the determination of iron on macro and semimicroscale and good results have been obtained.The reducing power of metallic mercury in the presence of cyanide has also been examined. In general it acts as a strong reducer in alkaline medium. Atmospheric oxygen is reduced partially to water and hydrogen peroxide. Ferricyanide is reduced quantitatively to ferrocyanide. The action of metallic mercury in the presence of cyanide on other oxidising substances has also been examined.     

Two-dimensional condensation of nucleic acid components at mercury film and gold electrodes

The adsorption of cytidine at the mercury film electrodes and at the Au (111) single crystal electrode has been investigated. Some kinetic aspects such as the influence of pH and temperature on the formation or dissolution of cytidine adlayer on the pyrolytic graphite electrode covered by a mercury film or on the Au (111) have been studied.     

Chemical speciation of mercury in natural waters

Improved sensitivity of the cold-vapour atomic absorption method for mercury can be obtained by equilibrating the reduced sample with a small volume of air at 90°C. An automated system has been developed that has a detection limit of 1 ng Hg l^-1. By changing the reducing conditions three species of mercury can be differentiated and determined, inorganic mercury, arylmercury compounds such as phenylmercury(II) chloride, and alkylmercury compounds such as methylmercury(II) chloride. Speciation of mercury in natural waters is possible.     

Voltammetric Determination of Mercury(II) at Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Film Electrode. Effect of Halide Ions

The well‐known method for the determination of mercury(II), which is based on the anodic stripping voltammetry of mercury(II), has been adapted for applications at the thin film poly(3‐hexylthiophene) polymer electrode. Halide ions have been found to increase the sensitivity of the mercury response and shift it more positive potentials. This behavior is explained by formation of mercuric halide which can be easily deposited and stripped from the polymer electrode surface. The procedure was optimized for mercury determination. For 120 s accumulation time, detection limit of 5 ng mL^?1 mercury(II) has been observed. The relative standard deviation is 1.3% at 40 ng mL^?1 mercury(II). The performance of the polymer film studied in this work was evaluated in the presence of surfactants and some potential interfering metal ions such as cadmium, lead, copper and nickel.     

Extraction-separation of mercury with 1-nephthylthiocarbamide

The extraction of mercury(II) has been studied from mineral acid solution using 1-nephthylthiocarbamide (ANTU) in chloroform-acetone mixture (9:1). The variables such as the concentration of acid and extractant have been optimized. The extractability of some other elements at the optimum conditions for mercury is also studied in order to establish the separation procedure. The probable composition of the extracted species has been deduced from log data. Effect of a number of foreign metal ions and anions has also been studied.     

气相富集-溶出伏安法测定汞的研究

元素汞在常温下有很高的挥发性,并与金有很强的结合能力,本文利用汞的这些特性,建立了一个测汞的新方法,即气相富集-阳极溶出伏安法。本方法有很高的选择性和较高的灵敏度。用883型极谱仪,汞浓度的定量测定范围为0.2-8.0ppb,定性检出下限为0.05ppb,将此法用于实际水样的测定,得到了满意的结果。     

Spectrophotometric determination of micro amounts of mercury,cadmium, and zinc by stepwise extraction with tribenzylamine

A rapid spectrophotometric method has been developed for the stepwise determination for mercury, cadmium, and zinc in mixtures. Optimal conditions have been established for the extraction efficiency of cadmium and mercury with a chloroform solution of tribenzylamine pre-equilibrated with hydrobromic acid. After addition of dithizone solution to the organic layers the absorbance at 490 nm or 510 nm is measured for mercury or cadmium, respectively. Even when the ratio of mercury, cadmium, and zinc is 10^-1 : 1 : 10^-5 , the metals can be determined successively.     

Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of mercury with N-p-chlorophenylbenzohydroxamic acid (N-p-Cl-BHA)

Extraction and spectrophotometric studies of tracer amounts of mercury with N-p-chlorophenylbenzohydroxamic acid are described. The yellow color mercury complex was extracted from chloroform at pH 9.0. The spectral measurement was made at 388 nm and the molar absorptivity of the complex is 6.0 × 10² liters mol^?1 cm^?1. It gives a clean separation from many commonly occurring metal ions. Effects of pH, solvents, electrolytes, and reagent concentration on the extraction of mercury have been discussed. The mercury is determined in drug samples and industrial effluents. From the extraction data an attempt has been made to calculate the stability constant of mercury complex.     

Synthesis and properties of a chelating resin containing triazolethiol groups

A macroreticular poly(acrylic acid)-based resin with triazolethiol as the functional group has been synthesized. The stability of the resin in acidic media and the behaviour in sorption and desorption of various metal ions have been investigated and compared with those of the acylthiosemicarbazide resin which is an intermediate in synthesis of the triazolethiol resin. Both resins show high affinity for copper(II) silver, cadmium and mercury(II), and high selectivity for silver and mercury(II) at low pH (1–2), and even at pH 7 if EDTA is present. The triazolethiol resin sorbs metal ions faster than the acylthiosemicarbazide resin does and sorbs mercury(II) from high concentrations of acids and neutral salt solutions. This resin has been applied to the concentration of silver and mercury(II) from sea-water samples by column operation.     

The separation of mercury from sea water by adsorption colloid flotation and analysis by flameless atomic absorption

Adsorption colloid flotation has been found capable of separating ionic mercury from sea water quantitatively at levels as low as 0.02 μg l^?1 with use of a cadmium sulfide collector and octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as the surfactant. The mercury in 25 samples can be separated in 2 h. Following the separation the mercury was analyzed by flameless atomic absorption. Recovery of mercury from 0.5 l samples spiked with 0.010 μg of inorganic mercury gave sol|0.014 ± 0.002 μg/0.5 l. Black Point, Oahu near-shore sea water was found to contain mercury in the range 0.038–0.078 μg l^?1 with no measurable organic mercury fraction. Sea-water samples collected at an open ocean station analyzed for total mercury revealed the highest mercury concentrations above 200 meters. Mercury concentrations in general showed a decreasing trend with increase in depth.     

Solid phase extraction and spectrophotometric determination of mercury by adsorption of its diphenylthiocarbazone complex on an alumina column

A simple method has been developed for the preconcentration of mercury based on the adsorption of its diphenylthiocarbazone complex on a neutral alumina column. The influence of acidity, eluting agents, stability of the column, sample volume and interfering ions has been investigated in detail. The adsorbed complex could be eluted using environmentally benign polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) and the concentration of mercury was determined by visible spectrophotometry at a wavelength maximum of 520nm. A detection limit of 4microgL(-1) could be achieved and the developed procedure was successfully applied for the determination of mercury in spiked water samples and city waste incineration ash (CRM176). The preconcentration factor attainable for quantitative recovery (>95%) of mercury(II) was 100 for a 1000mL sample volume.