Simple oxidative pretreatment for determination of organomercury by cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A simple and rapid method has been developed for the direct determination of organomercury in toluene extracts. The oxidative pretreatment, intended for cold vapour-atomic absorption/fluorescence spectrometry, involves the use of bromide/bromate reagent under strong acid conditions. The pretreatment is performed directly in a volumetric flask and avoids the need for back extraction and phase separation. Recoveries for methyl mercury additions to toluene, at the 2 g/1 level, ranged from 100–106%.On leave Xianjiang Environmental Research Institute, Urumqui, Xianjiang Province, Peoples Republic of China