Mercury speciation in hair by headspace injection-gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (methylmercury) and combustion-atomic absorption spectrometry (total Hg).
Talanta
; 82(5): 1919-23, 2010 Oct 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20875596
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%.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Exposição Ambiental
/
Poluentes Ambientais
/
Cabelo
/
Mercúrio
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Compostos de Metilmercúrio
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2010
Tipo de documento:
Article