Spectrophotometric determination of Mercury(II) ions in laboratory and Zamzam water using bis Schiff base ligand based on 1,2,4-Triazole-3,5-diamine and o-Vaniline

The current study presents the development of a simple and direct spectrophotometric approach for Hg(II) ions determination. This method has the significant advantage of being a simple procedure where no further solvent purification or pre-concentration is needed. The concentration of Hg(II) ions was determined in the presence of the Schiff base ligand named 2-((5-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylideneamino)–2H-1,2,4-triazole-3-ylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol (HMBT), at pH 10 using Briton Robinson Buffer. The method Obey Beer's law in concentration range 0.1–6 µg mL^{- 1} of Hg with (LOD) 0 0.016 µg L ^-1 and (LOQ) 0.051 µg/L. The molar ratio ensured the formation of a metal complex between HMBT and Hg ions was in the molar ratio 2:1 (HMBT: Hg²⁺). The method was used for the determination of mercury ions in tap water and Zamzam water samples. The applied method has many advantages, such as simplicity, low cost, ease of operation, rapid detection, low-ligand consumption, and high sensitivity. The analytical method sensitivity was confirmed via the suitable selection of experimental circumstances. More information about the structure and stoichiometry of the complex formed in solution between Hg(II) and HMBT ligand has been gained through the isolation and investigation of solid complex (HMBT-Hg). The structure of the solid complex, HMBT-Hg, has been elucidated by applying analytical routes such as elemental analysis and the spectral mass, UV–vis spectra, and thermal analysis.