Abstract
A microanalysis of mercury in fish by a combustion procedure using the quartz tube in air is described. Combustion of fish sample in air stream at 700°C was perfectly carried out in the presence of cobalt oxide. Mercury vapor was carried into a impinger and absorbed in 20ml of 0.5% potassium permanganate in 1N sulfuric acid as absorbent solution. Mercury absorbed was vaporized with stannous chloride as bubbling by air and determined by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Consequently, it was found that coefficient of variation in fish was approximately 5% and recovery of mercury was 98.5% in average. In addition, the presented procedure was desirable as well as wet digestion method and was found to be suitable for rapid analysis of mercury in fish.
