Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination
Abstract Adsorption, sample preservation, and cross‐contamination are the major impediments to the accurate and sensitive analysis of low‐level mercury samples. Common measures to deal with this issue are to use Teflon, quartz, or borosilicate glass bottles for sampling, standard solution and sample...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Global Challenges |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.201900061 |
| _version_ | 1819290222025768960 |
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| author | Jingqi Zhang Jingbo Chao Yang Tang Pingyu Wan Xiao Jin Yang Choon Wong Mark Bruce Qing Hu |
| author_facet | Jingqi Zhang Jingbo Chao Yang Tang Pingyu Wan Xiao Jin Yang Choon Wong Mark Bruce Qing Hu |
| author_sort | Jingqi Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Adsorption, sample preservation, and cross‐contamination are the major impediments to the accurate and sensitive analysis of low‐level mercury samples. Common measures to deal with this issue are to use Teflon, quartz, or borosilicate glass bottles for sampling, standard solution and sample preservation with oxidative chemicals, to prepare standard solutions daily and to use dedicated glassware. This paper demonstrates that these measures are neither efficient nor effective. Two common laboratory sample containers (borosilicate volumetric glass flasks and polypropylene tubes) are investigated for the preparation and preservation of water samples and standard solutions of 0.2–1 µg L−1 with 2% HNO3. Mercury adsorption rates of 6–22% are observed within 30 min and after 48 days, the adsorption is greater than 98%. In stark contrast, no adsorption is found during a testing period of 560 days when the solutions are subject to potassium permanganate‐persulfate digestion. New glass flasks and polypropylene bottles are free of mercury contamination but reused flasks are a major source of mercury cross‐contamination. To minimize adsorption and cross‐contamination, standard solutions are treated by potassium permanganate‐persulfate or BrCl digestion, and each individual sample and standard solution should be stored and prepared in single‐use polypropylene bottle, without transference. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:19:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d46fe8ebea447d0bfb309f22f9dd23e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-6646 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:19:18Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Challenges |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d46fe8ebea447d0bfb309f22f9dd23e2022-12-21T17:17:32ZengWileyGlobal Challenges2056-66462020-01-0141n/an/a10.1002/gch2.201900061Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐ContaminationJingqi Zhang0Jingbo Chao1Yang Tang2Pingyu Wan3Xiao Jin Yang4Choon Wong5Mark Bruce6Qing Hu7Beijing Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Technology and Department of Environmental Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 ChinaNational Institute of Metrology Beijing 100029 ChinaSchool of Chemistry Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 ChinaSchool of Chemistry Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Technology and Department of Environmental Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 ChinaNSW Forensic & Analytical Science Service 480 Weeroona Rd Lidcombe NSW 2141 AustraliaEurofins TestAmerica 4101 Shuffel St. NW North Canton OH 44720 USASouthern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 ChinaAbstract Adsorption, sample preservation, and cross‐contamination are the major impediments to the accurate and sensitive analysis of low‐level mercury samples. Common measures to deal with this issue are to use Teflon, quartz, or borosilicate glass bottles for sampling, standard solution and sample preservation with oxidative chemicals, to prepare standard solutions daily and to use dedicated glassware. This paper demonstrates that these measures are neither efficient nor effective. Two common laboratory sample containers (borosilicate volumetric glass flasks and polypropylene tubes) are investigated for the preparation and preservation of water samples and standard solutions of 0.2–1 µg L−1 with 2% HNO3. Mercury adsorption rates of 6–22% are observed within 30 min and after 48 days, the adsorption is greater than 98%. In stark contrast, no adsorption is found during a testing period of 560 days when the solutions are subject to potassium permanganate‐persulfate digestion. New glass flasks and polypropylene bottles are free of mercury contamination but reused flasks are a major source of mercury cross‐contamination. To minimize adsorption and cross‐contamination, standard solutions are treated by potassium permanganate‐persulfate or BrCl digestion, and each individual sample and standard solution should be stored and prepared in single‐use polypropylene bottle, without transference.https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.201900061adsorptioncross‐contaminationmercury solutionstabilitywater samples |
| spellingShingle | Jingqi Zhang Jingbo Chao Yang Tang Pingyu Wan Xiao Jin Yang Choon Wong Mark Bruce Qing Hu Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination Global Challenges adsorption cross‐contamination mercury solution stability water samples |
| title | Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination |
| title_full | Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination |
| title_fullStr | Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination |
| title_short | Quantification of Trace Mercury in Water: Solving the Problem of Adsorption, Sample Preservation, and Cross‐Contamination |
| title_sort | quantification of trace mercury in water solving the problem of adsorption sample preservation and cross contamination |
| topic | adsorption cross‐contamination mercury solution stability water samples |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.201900061 |
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