Speciation of mercury using liquid chromatography with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was used as a liquid chromatographic detector for the determination of mercury compounds. The detection limits were in the low ng ml^–1 range and were improved further by post-column cold-vapour generation. The results obtained were linear over three to four orders of magnitude. Blind, spiked water samples were used to validate the method. The method was applied to the determination of methylmercury in an NBS RM-50 Albacore tuna sample (873 ± 60 ng ml^–1) and to the determination of thimerosal in contact lens solutions. Good agreement was observed between the literature and/or expected values and the values determined experimentally.