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.     

Simple semiquantitative determination of trace metal ions by use of reagent gel columns-I: determination of mercury with dithizone gel

Mercury(II) at the sub-ppm level was determined by using a column packed with gel beads containing dithizone stabilized as the zinc complex. The beads turned from pink to green when the acidified sample solution was passed through the column. If the solution contained mercury (II), the colour of the gel beads turned to orange owing to the formation of mercury dithizonate. The length of the coloured zone was proportional to the amount of mercury in the sample. With 0.01% dithizone gel, as little as 0.1 ppm of mercury(II) could be determined in a 20-ml sample at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min.     

Indirect Complexometric Determination of Mercury(II) Using Potassium Bromide as Selective Masking Agent

 A complexometric method for the determination of mercury in presence of other metal ions based on the selective masking ability of potassium bromide towards mercury is described. Mercury(II) present in a given sample solution is first complexed with a known excess of EDTA and the surplus EDTA is titrated against zinc sulfate solution at pH 5–6 using xylenol orange as the indicator. A known excess of 10% solution of potassium bromide is then added and the EDTA released from Hg-EDTA complex is titrated against standard zinc sulfate solution. Reproducible and accurate results are obtained for 8 mg to 250 mg of mercury(II) with a relative error ± 0.28% and standard deviations ≤0.5 mg. The interference of various ions is studied. This method was applied to the determination of mercury(II) in its alloys. Received April 18, 2001 Revision October 10, 2001     

Application of 8-mercaptoquinoline (thiooxine) for the separation of microamounts of elements

The separation of elements by means of thiooxine is reviewed. The extraction ranges of the thiooxinates of manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and mercury, for metal contents of 10⁻⁷–10⁻⁹g, were determined using the radioactive tracer method. Solubility values in chloroform and distribution coefficients in the system chloroform-water were determined for mercury, zinc and iron thiooxinates. Polytetrafluoroethylene powder was used to eliminate chloroform traces from the aqueous phase.     

Complexometric Determination of Mercury(II) Using 2-Mercaptopropionylglycine as a Selective Masking Reagent

 A selective complexometric method for the determination of mercury(II) in the presence of associated metal ions is reported, based on the selective masking ability of 2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPGH₂) towards mercury. Mercury, along with other associated metal ions, is first complexed with excess of EDTA and the surplus EDTA is back titrated at pH 5–6 (hexamine buffer) with standard zinc sulfate solution using xylenol orange as indicator. An aqueous 1% solution of MPGH₂ is then added to displace EDTA selectively from the Hg-EDTA complex and the released EDTA is titrated with the same standard zinc sulfate solution. Reproducible and accurate results are obtained for 4–85 mg of mercury with a relative error of ≤ 0.26% and coefficient of variation not exceeding 0.42%. The interferences of various cations and anions are studied. The method is used for the analysis of mercury in its complexes and alloy samples. Received August 30, 2000. Revision January 15, 2001.     

Determination of total mercury in coal fly ash by gold amalgamation cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the determination of total mercury in coal fly ash by gold amalgamation cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) was optimized. Most of the experiments were performed on NBS SRM 1633a Coal Fly Ash with a certified value of 160 ± 10 ng Hg g^?1. The main attention was focused on the decomposition of the sample. The efficacy of pressure decompositions in closed silica and sealed Pyrex tubes using various combinations of acids (HNO₃, HCl, HClO₄) was compared with oxidative combustion of the coal fly ash. Notwithstanding the incomplete mineralization of the sample in sealed tubes, the results obtained showed good agreement with the certified value and results obtained by neutron activation analysis (NAA), which suggests that mercury is quantitatively released from the sample into solution. Lower results were obtained using decomposition in closed (but not hermetically sealed) silica tubes owing to losses of mercury by volatilization during decomposition. Interferences from some metal ions (nickel, lead, copper, silver, palladium, zinc and antimony) were also examined. The results showed a serious depression of the mercury signal only when gold, palladium and platinum were present at higher concentrations, which never or very seldom occur in fly ash matrices, and therefore do not represent a limitation of the method.     

Determination of thallium in biological material1

Two variations of a method for the determination of microgram amounts of thallium in biological material have been worked out. After wet combustion and separation of thallium from most interfering substances by extraction of thallic chloride with ether, the metal is estimated absorptiometrically as its dithizonate, the yield being slightly greater than theoretical (procedure A). In the presence of mercury (> i mg), cadmium, bismuth and indium (> 10 mg) high results were obtained. Other metals, halogeń, thiosulphate and thiocyanate ions did not interfere. With the slightly longer procedure B, serious interference was not encountered from any metal in amounts up tu 50 mg. For practical purposes procedure B can be considered specific for thallium. As little as 10 μg of thallium in 25 g of liver could be determined.     

Determination of traces of palladium using radioactive zinc dithizonate as a reagent

A radioreagent method for the analysis of traces of palladium using radioactive zinc dithizonate as the reagent has been developed. The method is rapid, highly selective and palladium concentration down to 2 g present in 10 ml solution can be measured.     

Dual-wavelength spectrophotometric determination of traces of mercury(II) with solubilized dithizone: An approach to simplified analytical procedures for environmental pollutants

A simple spectrophotometric procedure is described for the determination of traces of mercury, with solubilized copper(II) dithizonate. Sample water containing 0.05–0.25 μg of mercury(II) is mixed with an aqueous solution of copper dithizonate containing Triton X-100 at pH 1 (H₂SO₄ ). After 5 min, dual-wavelength photometry is used to measure the difference in absorbances at 507 and 493 nm, which is proportional to the mercury concentration. The advantages are that no reagent blank is necessary and the equipment is simple. Few cations interfere; silver(I) and iron(III) can be masked by chloride and fluoride, respectively.     

Determination of trace amounts of palladium by radiochemical displacement

A method has been developed for the determination of trace amounts of palladium using radioactive mercury dithizonate as the reagent. Experimental conditions for the quantitative displacement of mercury from the reagent, calibration graph and the interfering effects of various ions have been studied. The method is sensitive down to 2 g of palladium present in 10 ml of the aqueous solution.     

Routine determination of mercury,arsenic and selenium by radiochemical Neutron Activation Analysis

A method for the determination of mercury, arsenic and selenium by neutron activation analysis is described. Radiochemical separations are performed by selective distillation followed by electrolysis of mercury on gold and precipitation of arsenic and/or selenium by reduction to the elemental form. The chemical yields are 80–90% for mercury and 90–100% for arsenic and selenium. Interference tests have been carried out with reference to those elements most likely to interfere with the analysis. Detection limits for mercury, arsenic and selenium using 0.1 g of sample are 0.2 ng g^–1, 2 ng g^–1 and 3 ng g^–1, resp. Detection limits can be improved using greater sample size and neutron flux density. Results from the analysis of several NBS standard reference materials are given.     

Photochromism of silver(I) and mercury(II) dithizonates : Effect of excess of free ligand on the return to ground state and effect of silver(I) dithizonate on the return of mercury(II) dithizonate

The energy of photons producing highest yield in the photochromic excitation of both silver(I) and mercury(II) dithizonate is shown to be centered around 520 nm. The effect of silver(I) dithizonate on the return of the excited form of mercury(II) dithizonate to the ground state is described. The accelerating effect of the silver complex is interpreted by an empirical kinetic model that takes into consideration the concurrent excitation and relaxation of both complexes. As observed in the photochromism of mercury(II) dithizonate, the presence of excess of ligand proportionally hastens the relaxation of silver(I) dithizonate to the ground state.     

Substoichiometric isotope dilution analysis of iron in biological materials by the 8-quinolinol-extraction

A highly precise and accurate method for the determination of minor amounts of iron by substoichiometric isotope dilution analysis is described. The constant amount of Fe(III) is substoichiometrically extracted with 2·10⁻⁴M oxine in chloroform from the aqueous phase of pH 9.2–10.0 containing 6·10⁻³M tartrate. The interfering ions such as Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II), can be removed by the preliminary extraction of Fe(III) from 7.5M hydrochloric acid solutions into isopropyl ether. The present method has been applied to the determination of iron in biological standard reference materials, i.e., the NBS Spinach (SRM-1570) and the NIES Pepperbush (SRM No. 1), and the results obtained are 548±9 ppm (NBS certified value: 550±20 ppm) and 193±4 ppm, respectively.     

Graphite rod atomization and atomic fluorescence for the simultaneous determination of silver and copper in jet engine oils

S-Methyldithizone(5-methylmercapto-1,5-diphenylformazan) reacts with the chlorides of copper(II), mercury(II) and phenylmercury(II) to give the 1:1 chelates [CuCl(MeDz), HgCl(MeDz) and C₆H₅Hg(MeDz)] and with nickel(II) and palladium(II) to give the 1:2 chelates, M(MeDz)₂. All these complexes are intensely coloured in chloroform solution. No complexes are formed from cobalt(II), manganese(II) or zinc(II) or from the nitrates or acetates of copper and mercury. Coordination increases the reactivity of the sulphur atom in dithizone. Whereas dithizone is unaffected by methyl iodide, nickel dithizonate, Ni(HDz)₂, gives Ni-(MeDz)₂ when heated with methyl iodide in ethanol in the presence of sodium acetate; palladium dithizonate behaves similarly. The 1:1 adduct of nickel dithizonate with 2,2'-bipyridyl gave only Ni(MeDz)₂ on treatment with methyl iodide, and this complex would not form an adduct with bipyridyl. On standing in the light, Ni(MeDz)₂ reacted photochemically to give the yellow isomer of S-methyl-dithizone.     

Rapid determination of indium,nickel and copper in NBS standard reference material by substoichiometric radioactivation analysis

A method of rapid determination for indium, nickel and copper in Spinach (NBS; SRM-1570) by substoichiometric radioactivation analysis is described. The method is based on the principle that an equal amount of non-irradiated test sample is added to the irradiated standard sample and subsequent substoichiometric extraction for the irradiated test and standard samples is carried out. Indium is extracted as diethyldithiocarbamate into carbon tetrachloride, nickel as dimethylglyoximate into chloroform and copper as dithizonate into carbon tetrachloride. The radioactivities of these extracts are measured by NaI(Tl) or Ge(Li) detector coupled with pulse-height analyser. The analytical results obtained by the method were in good agreement with our published values and certified values by NBS.     

A sensitive optical element for mercury(II)

A transparent polymethacrylate matrix modified with copper dithizonate was used to determine mercury(II). Optimum conditions for modifying the polymethacrylate matrix with copper dithizonate were found, and its reaction with mercury(II) in model solutions was studied.     

Substoichiometric determination of mercury with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

A radiometric method based on substoichiometric isotope dilution analysis has been developed for the determination of mercury using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the substoichiometric reagent. The method is based on the extraction of mercury as an ionassociation complex of tetraiodomercurate(II) ion with a substoichiometric amount of CTAB in benzene. The calibration graph was found to be linear in the range 0–10 μg Hg (II) in the aqueous phase of 10 ml volume. A detection limit of 0.06 μg·ml⁻¹ could be achieved by the proposed method. The relative standard deviation of the method was found to be 3.0% and the method has been successfully applied to study the determination of mercury in various synthetic mixtures.     

Radiometric determination of submicrogram amounts of mercury

A radiometric method for the determination of submicrogram amounts of mercury (down to 5 x 10(-10)g ml ) is described. The method is based on the exchange reaction between mercury and silver-110m dithizonate. Only palladium, gold, silver, and large amounts of copper and bismuth interfere in the determination, and must be removed.     

固体样品进样技术中汞量定标方法的研究

在原子吸收光谱分析中,固体样品直接进样是目前的研究课题之一。本文主要报道作者在分析汞中所进行的固体直接进样技术工作和讨论。在我们研制成功的KT—81型塞曼效应测汞仪中,针对元素汞蒸气压高的特点,用饱和汞蒸气作为汞量标准,实现了固体样品,如土壤、污泥、毛发、煤、食品等汞含量的直接进样测定。汞蒸气一次制备后可长期使用。分析汞时,只要用标准气体任意校验一次就可测量。1～2分钟能分析一个样品,S<0.3ng。r<5%。此法用NBS标准物质验证过。     

Selenium and mercury determination in biological samples using gamma–gamma coincidence and Compton suppression

Biological materials containing trace amounts of mercury and selenium were examined using neutron activation analysis. They were analyzed using Compton suppression and γ–γ coincidence counting. The 279 keV photopeak of activated mercury (²⁰³Hg) was analyzed in order to observe the mercury content in these samples. Selenium, an element found in many biological samples, interferes with the analysis of ²⁰³Hg when activated (⁷⁵Se). Because the selenium interference comes from a cascading emission, Compton suppression was utilized to reduce this interference. In order to fully characterize the selenium content in the samples, γ–γ coincidence was used which reduced the background and eliminated bremsstrahlung interference produced from neutron activated phosphorous through the ³¹P(n, γ)³²P reaction which is a pure beta emitter. As a result, we determined the mercury and selenium concentrations in three standard reference materials, which contain varying ratios of mercury to selenium concentrations. This study also showed that these types of concentrations can be determined from small (<500 mg) sample masses. Further work needs to be done on wet samples that require dehydration, as mercury can be lost through this process.