Abstract
An analytical method for the rapid determination of total mercury in the rain water by using reduction-aeration, gold amalgamation and AAS was described.
The inorganic mercury which had been resistant to reduction in the rain water was not reduced in the acid solution, and was necessary to be reduced in the alkalized solution. The organic matter in the rain water was supposed to have no interference with the determination of organic mercury by this method.
The percentage of recovery and the coefficient of variation were 96-98% and 2.0-7.0% respectively at the level of 0.24-4.0ngHg/50ml. And the limit of detection was about 1ng/l, when 50ml of the sample was treated. The coefficient of variation and limit of detection obtained by this method was nearly equal to those by UV irradiation method.
This method was applied to the total mercury analysis of the rain water samples collected in the constant volume (100ml) in Kobe area.
