## 3112 METALS BY COLD-VAPOR ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY*

3112 A. Introduction

For general introductory material on atomic absorption spectrometric methods, see Section 3111A.



## 3112 B. Cold-Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method

1. General Discussion



### This method is applicable to the determination of mercury.

2. Apparatus



### When possible, dedicate glassware for use in Hg analysis. Avoid using glassware previously exposed to high levels of Hg, such as those used in COD, TKN, or Cl  

### analysis.

a. Atomic absorption spectrometer and associated equipment: See Section 3111A.6. Instruments and accessories specifically designed for measuring mercury via the cold vapor technique are available commercially and may be substituted.

b. Absorption cell, a glass or plastic tube approximately 2.5 cm in diameter. An 11.4-cm-long tube has been found satisfactory, but a 15-cm-long tube is preferred. Grind tube ends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and cement quartz windows in place. Attach gas inlet and outlet ports (6.4 mm diam) 1.3 cm from each end.

c. Cell support: Strap cell to the flat nitrous-oxide burner heador other suitable support and align in light beam to give maximum transmittance.

d. Air pumps: Use any peristaltic pump with electronic speed control capable of delivering an air flow of 2 L/min. Any otherregulated compressed air system or air cylinder also is satisfactory.

e. Flowmeter, capable of measuring an air flow of 2 L/min. f. Aeration tubing, a straight glass frit having a coarse porosity for use in reaction flask.

g. Reaction flask, 250-mL erlenmeyer flask or a BOD bottle, fitted with a rubber stopper to hold aeration tube.

h. Drying tube, 150-mm 18-mm-diam, containing 20 g Mg (ClO 4 

### ) 2 

### . A 60-W light bulb with a suitable shade may be substituted to prevent condensation of moisture inside the absorption cell. Position bulb to maintain cell temperature at 10°C above ambient.

i. Connecting tubing, glass tubing to pass mercury vapor fromreaction flask to absorption cell and to interconnect all other components. Clear vinyl plastic* tubing may be substituted for glass. 3. Reagents†



### a. Metal-free water: See 3111B.3 c

. b. Stock mercury solution: Dissolve 0.1354 g mercuric chloride, HgCl 2 

### , in about 70 mL water, add 1 mL conc HNO 3 

### , and dilute to 100 mL with water; 1.00 mL  1.00 mg Hg.

c. Standard mercury solutions: Prepare a series of standard mercury solutions containing 0 to 5  g/L by appropriate dilution of stock mercury solution with water containing 10 mL conc HNO 3 

### /L. Prepare standards daily.

d. Nitric acid, HNO 3 

### , conc. e. Potassium permanganate solution: Dissolve 50 g KMnO 4 

### in water and dilute to 1 L.

f. Potassium persulfate solution: Dissolve 50 g K2 

### S 2 

### O 8 

### in water and dilute to 1 L.

g. Sodium chloride-hydroxylamine sulfate solution: Dissolve 120 g NaCl and 120 g (NH 2 

### OH) 2 

###  H 2 

### SO 4 

### in water and dilute to 1 L. A 10% hydroxylamine hydrochloride solution may be substituted for the hydroxylamine sulfate.

h. Stannous ion (Sn 2  

### ) solution: Use either stannous chloride, ¶ 1), or stannous sulfate, ¶ 2), to prepare this solution containing about 7.0 g Sn 2  

### /100 mL.

1) Dissolve 10 g SnCl 2 

### in water containing 20 mL conc HCl and dilute to 100 mL.

2) Dissolve 11 g SnSO 4 

### in water containing 7 mL conc H 2 

### SO 4 

### and dilute to 100 mL.

Both solutions decompose with aging. If a suspension forms,stir reagent continuously during use. Reagent volume is sufficient to process about 20 samples; adjust volumes prepared to accommodate number of samples processed.

i. Sulfuric acid, H 2 

### SO 4 

### , conc.

4. Procedure



### a. Instrument operation: See Section 3111B.4b . Set wavelength to 253.7 nm. Install absorption cell and align in light path to givemaximum transmission. Connect associated equipment to absorption cell with glass or vinyl plastic tubing, as indicated in Figure 3112:1. Turn on air and adjust flow rate to 2 L/min. Allow air to flow continuously. Alternatively, follow manufacturer’s directions for operation. NOTE 

### : Fluorescent lighting may increase baseline noise. * Approved by Standard Methods Committee, 2009.

* Tygon or equivalent. † Use specially prepared reagents low in mercury.

1

### b. Standardization: Transfer 100 mL each of the 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0  g/L Hg standard solutions and a blank of 100 mL water to 250-mL erlenmeyer reaction flasks. Add 5 mL conc H 2 

### SO 4 

### and 2.5 mL conc HNO 3 

### to each flask. Add 15 mL KMnO 4 

### solution to each flask and let stand at least 15 min. Add 8 mL K2 

### S 2 

### O 8 

### solution to each flask and heat for 2 h in a water bath at 90 to 95°C. Cool to room temperature.

Treating each flask individually, add enough NaCl-hydroxylamine solution to reduce excess KMnO 4 

### , then add 5 mL SnCl 2 

### or SnSO 4 

### solution and immediately attach flask to aeration apparatus. As Hg is volatilized and carried into the absorptioncell, absorbance will increase to a maximum within a few seconds. As soon as recorder returns approximately to the baseline, remove stopper holding the frit from reaction flask, and replace with a flask containing water. Flush system for a few seconds, and run the next standard in the same manner. Construct a standard curve by plotting peak height versus micrograms Hg.

c. Analysis of samples: Transfer 100 mL sample or portion diluted to 100 mL containing not more than 5.0  g Hg/L to a reaction flask. Treat as in ¶ 4 b . Seawaters, brines, and effluents high in chlorides require as much as another 25 mL KMnO 4 

### solution. During oxidation step, chlorides are converted to free chlorine, which absorbs at 253 nm. Remove all free chlorine before the Hg is reduced and swept into the cell by using an excess (25 mL) of hydroxylamine reagent.

Remove free chlorine by sparging sample gently with air or nitrogen after adding hydroxylamine reducing solution. Use a separate tube and frit to avoid carryover of residual stannous chloride, which could cause reduction and loss of mercury.

5. Calculation



### Determine peak height of sample from recorder chart and read mercury value from standard curve prepared according to ¶ 4 b

.

6. Precision and Bias



### Data on interlaboratory precision and bias for this method are given in Table 3112:I.

7. Reference

1. KOPP , J.F., M.C. L ONGBOTTOM & L.B. L OBRING . 1972. “Cold vapor”

method for determining mercury. J. Amer. Water Works Assoc. 64:20.



### 8. Bibliography

H ATCH , W.R. & W.L. O TT . 1968. Determination of submicrogram quantities of mercury by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Anal. Chem. 40:2085. UTHE , J.F., F.A.J. ARMSTRONG & M.P. S TAINTON . 1970. Mercury determination in fish samples by wet digestion and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 27:805. FELDMAN , C. 1974. Preservation of dilute mercury solutions. Anal. Chem. 46:99. B OTHNER , M.H. & D.E. R OBERTSON . 1975. Mercury contamination of sea water samples stored in polyethylene containers. Anal. Chem. 47: 592. H AWLEY , J.E. & J.D. INGLE , J R . 1975. Improvements in cold vapor atomic absorption determination of mercury. Anal. Chem. 47:719. L O , J.M. & C.M. WAL . 1975. Mercury loss from water during storage: Mechanisms and prevention. Anal. Chem. 47:1869. EL -AWADY , A.A., R.B. M ILLER & M.J. C ARTER . 1976. Automated method for the determination of total and inorganic mercury in water and wastewater samples. Anal. Chem. 48:110. O DA , C.E. & J.D. INGLE , J R . 1981. Speciation of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry with selective reduction. Anal. Chem. 53:2305. S UDDENDORF , R.F. 1981. Interference by selenium or tellurium in thedetermination of mercury by cold vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry. Anal. Chem. 53:2234. HEIDEN , R.W. & D.A. AIKENS . 1983. Humic acid as a preservative for trace mercury (II) solutions stored in polyolefin containers. Anal. Chem. 55:2327. C HOU , H.N. & C.A. NALEWAY . 1984. Determination of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Anal. Chem. 56:1737. Figure 3112:1. Schematic arrangement of equipment for measuring mercury by cold-vapor atomic absorption technique. TABLE 3112:I. INTERLABORATORY PRECISION AND B IAS OF C OLD -V APOR ATOMIC ABSORPTION S PECTROMETRIC M ETHOD FOR M ERCURY 1

Form Conc.


g/L SD


g/L Relative SD % Relative Error

% No. of Participants
Inorganic 0.34 0.077 22.6 21.0 23 Inorganic 4.2 0.56 13.3 14.4 21 Organic 4.2 0.36 8.6 8.4 21 METALS BY COLD-VAPOR ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY (3112)/Cold-Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method

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