Preconcentration of trace amounts of mercury(II) in water on picolinic acid amide-containing resin

A chelating polystyrene/divinylbenzene-based resin with picolinic acid amide as the functional group was synthesised and characterised by its water regain capacity (0.31 g g^?1), stability towards sulphuric acid and alkali, and metal ion-exchange capacities. Mercury(II) is absorbed maximally at about pH 5.4 and can be eluted with 2 M sulphuric acid with 96% efficiency. It can thus be separated from Na(I), K(I), Ca(Il), Mg(Il), Co(Il), Cd(Il), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cr (III) and Fe (III). The method is applied to determination of mercury (II) in synthetic mixtures and in river water.