Determination of Mercury and Copper in Water Samples by Activation Analysis Using Preconcentration on Emission Spectroscopic Carbon Powder

Abstract

A simple preconcentration procedure for mercury and copper was examined in the activation analysis of water samples.
The preconcentration using pure activated carbon has been reported in several papers. The authors found that the carbon powder for emission spectroscopic analysis showed the high purity equivalent to pure activated carbon. The influence of various parameters in adsorption conditions was studied by radioactive tracers ¹⁹⁷Hg and ⁶⁴Cu. It was confirmed that 100% of these elements were adsorbed on carbon powders as pyrrolidine dithiocarbonate complexes at an acidity of pH 6-8, the temperature of 50°C and the stirring time of 30 minutes.
This method was applied to the activation analysis of the river water samples taken from the upper stream area of the Arakawa river and the ground water samples taken from the wells of the environs of Tokyo Megalopolis. The carbon powders which adsorbed these elements were filtered, dried and analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The Hg concentrations of 0.01-0.1 ppb in river water and 0.03-1.4 ppb in ground water were obtained as well as the Cu concentrations of 0.3-3.0 ppb in ground water.
The limits of determination of this method are 0.01 ppb Hg and 0.2 ppb Cu in the case of 1 l sample of fresh water.