The Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) with cold steam is used to determine mercury in different samples
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Are you asking for the total amount of Hg ? If so, you have to freeze dry your samples (muscle tissue) and make a microwave assisted digestion with nitric acid. Flow Injection Mercury Analysis is the AAS (cold vapor) technique to use. In case of methyl-mercury a hyphenated GC-ICP-MS technique is used.
For total content you can also use the direct mercury analyser with thermal decomposition and amalgamation. This method does not require the acid digestion step, thus preventing the eventual losses of Hg. For methyl-mercury use the GC-ICP-MS technique.
Yes, there are several methods
1. UV-VIS method (limit of detection is higher)
2. AAS-with vapor generation
3. ICP-OES
4. ICP-MS
Hi Lazaro -
It depends which instrument(s) you have available, which tissue, and which form of Hg. In fish muscle tissue methylmercury predominates, therefore people often use total Hg analyzers, which are cheaper and don't require much sample preparation. If you want to determine methylmercury only, then the gold standard is CVAFS.
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