Sensitive determination method for mercury ion, methyl-, ethyl-, and phenyl-mercury in water and biological samples using high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection

Anal Sci. 2012;28(10):959-65. doi: 10.2116/analsci.28.959.

Abstract

A sensitive determination method for mercury speciation analysis was developed. Four mercury species, mercury ion, methylmercury, ethylmercury, and phenylmercury, were complexed with emetine-dithiocarbamate (emetine-CS(2)), and then injected onto a HPLC instrument coupled with a tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(III) chemiluminescence detection system. The emetine-CS(2) complexing agent was effectively used to measure the concentration in addition to serving as a separation and detection reagent. The calibration curves for these mercury complexes were linear in the range of 0.050 - 10 μg L(-1) (as Hg). The limit of detection for (emetine-CS(2))(2)Hg, emetine-CS(2)-methylmercury, emetine-CS(2)-ethylmercury, and emetine-CS(2)-phenylmercury were 30, 17, 21, and 22 ng L(-1), respectively. The sensitivity of this method enables the determination of mercury species in water samples at sub-ppb levels. Furthermore, the method was applied to biological samples in combination with acid leaching and liquid-liquid extraction using emetine-CS(2) as an extraction reagent. The determination results were in good agreement with the values of the certified reference materials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis*
  • Environmental Pollutants / isolation & purification
  • Ethylmercury Compounds / analysis
  • Ethylmercury Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Fishes
  • Hair / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods*
  • Mercury / analysis*
  • Mercury / isolation & purification
  • Methylmercury Compounds / analysis
  • Methylmercury Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Organomercury Compounds / analysis*
  • Organomercury Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Phenylmercury Compounds / analysis
  • Phenylmercury Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Ethylmercury Compounds
  • Methylmercury Compounds
  • Organomercury Compounds
  • Phenylmercury Compounds
  • Water
  • Mercury