Slurry sampling in serum blood for mercury determination by CV-AFS.
The heavy metal mercury (Hg) is a neurotoxin known to have a serious health impact even at relatively low concentrations. A slurry method was developed for the sensitive and precise determination of mercury in human serum blood samples by cold vapor generation coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV-AFS). All variables related to the slurry formation were studied. The optimal hydrochloric concentration and tin(II) chloride concentration for CV generation were evaluated. Calibration within the range 0.1-10 microg L(-1) Hg was performed with the standard addition method, and compared with an external calibration. Additionally, the reliability of the results obtained was evaluated by analyzing mercury in the same samples, but submitted to microwave-assisted digestion method. The limit of detection was calculated as 25 ng L(-1) and the relative standard deviation was 3.9% at levels around of 0.4 microg L(-1)Hg.
Aranda
Pedro R
PR
Departmento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Chacabuco y Pedernera, P.O. Box 375, 5700 San Luis, Argentina. paranda@unsl.edu.ar
Gil
Raúl A
RA
Moyano
Susana
S
De Vito
Irma
I
Martinez
Luis D
LD
D002138:Calibration; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000379:methods; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D008872:Microwaves; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
D017971:Tin Compounds; C023599:stannous chloride; D008628:Mercury; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid