New external reagents for the simultaneous microdetermination of carbon,hydrogen and mercury

Non-conventional, extremely cheap and readily available materials, namely zinc plates, pumice granules or polystyrene foam cubes, have been utilized as new external mercury-retentive agents at room temperature for the simultaneous gravimetric microdetermination of mercury, carbon and hydrogen by the rapid straight empty-tube method of Korshun and Klimova. A standard Pregl absorption tube charged with the reagent is connected between the combustion tube and the water-absorption tube. Satisfactory results are obtained for carbon, hydrogen and mercury, and compare reasonably well with those found by using the traditional silver wool or gold sponge under similar conditions. Sulphur or halogen can also be determined simultaneously, as usual.