Preconcentration of inorganic mercury with an anion-exchange resin and direct reduction—aeration measurements by cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

Inorganic mercury ions (5–50 ng l^-1) present in natural waters (500 ml) are concentrated on anion-exchange resin (0.2 g; chloride form) in a batchwise operation. The resin is filtered off and introduced into a bubbler containing tin(II) solution. The adsorbed mercury ions are reduced to the metal and vaporized with a stream of air in a closed system. Satisfactory recoveries are obtained for sea waters made 0.1 M in nitric acid, and for river and spring waters also made 0.1 M in nitric acid or 0.01 M in ammonium thiocyanate. The method preconcentrates traces of inorganic mercury ions by an order of magnitude, and is also effective in preventing mercury loss during sample storage.