I'm using mercury reducing bacteria. I want to know if they're really reducing Hg2+ to Hg0. So far I got Hg0 detection assay using x-ray film. But maybe there's a simpler way rather than using x-ray film?
Do you have access to a machine that can measure atomic fluorescence?
To measure Hg(0), scientists will flush a sample with air or nitrogen into a Hg(0) trap. Some atomic fluorescence analyzers will come with these very sensitive gold Hg(0) traps, which are great for measuring low levels of Hg(0). If you don't have gold traps, you can make a liquid trap out of potassium permanganate and sulfuric acid. Permanganate traps are not as sensitive as gold traps, but with mercury reducing bacteria you don't need your trap to be very sensitive.
You can measure the reduced Hg2+ indirectly. For example, measure Hg2+ at 0 h, then again measure Hg2+ after incubation period. You can subtract the final Hg2+ concentration from initial Hg2+ concentration and you will know how much is lost as Hg0.