title: Mercury speciation in hair by headspace injection-gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (methylmercury) and combustion-atomic absorption spectrometry (total Hg).
abstract: The speciation of Hg in human hair was carried out with combustion-atomic absorption spectrometry for total Hg (THg) and headspace-gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HS-GC-AFS) for methylmercury (MMHg). The determination of total Hg in hair was carried out with the AMA analyzer (Advanced Mercury Analyser 254). Accuracy and reproducibility were assessed on a Certified Reference hair sample (IAEA-086 CRM), yielding, respectively, a recovery of 97.5% and a RSD of 3.2%. Analyses of 10 blank measurements resulted in a detection limit of 1.5 ng g(-1) of THg for a 20mg sample of human hair. MMHg concentrations in hair were assessed with HS-GC-AFS in a single analysis step. Either acid or alkaline extraction can be applied because they yielded very similar results on a IAEA-086 CRM: we observed a recovery of 103% and a RSD of 7% with acid extraction and a recovery of 110% and a RSD of 9% with alkaline extraction. Optimization of the headspace vial, injection and GC parameters is described. The detection limit of the MMHg determination in human hair, which amounts to 0.04 ng g(-1) for a 20mg sample, is far below the concentrations observed in natural samples. The number of samples that can be analyzed per hour, respectively, amounts to 8 for THg and 4 for MMHg. Finally, Hg speciation in natural human hair samples was carried out by combining both AMA and HS-GC-AFS analysis methods. THg levels were at the μg g(-1), level, with an average MMHg fraction of about 70%.
authors.affiliation: Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Department (ANCH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium. yuegao@vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Galan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Brauwere
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leermakers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002138:Calibration; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury