Abstract
A simple and rapid method for the determination of methyl mercury in fish and shellfish using a gas chromatograph with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) was developed. Lipids and other organic interference in the test materials were eliminated by pretreatment with acetone and benzene, and then the methyl mercury extracted with the acidified benzene was analyzed by GC/ECD. Good recoveries (tuna, 90.3±2.3% ; shark, 105.5±3.2% ; sail-fish, 87.5±2.7% ; and shrimp meat, 88.4±2.6%) were obtained from samples spiked with 1 ppm of methyl mercury. The detection limit of methyl mercury was approximately 0.0016 ppm.
