Patent ID: 7552617

Claim:
An automated system for processing a liquid test sample, comprising: (a) a gas and liquid separator; (b) an attachment for a first gas source that provides a flow of gas for transferring the test sample from a sealable sample container to the gas and liquid separator and for removing at least one volatile component from the test sample in the gas and liquid separator, wherein an organomercury compound of interest present in the test sample is converted to at least one ethylated or propylated mercury species prior to transfer of the test sample into the gas and liquid separator; (c) a trapping vessel in fluid communication with the gas and liquid separator, wherein the trapping vessel contains at least one material capable of adsorbing the at least one ethylated or propylated mercury species of the organomercury compound; and (d) a heat source for rapidly heating the at least one material in the trapping vessel to a temperature sufficient to release the at least one ethylated or propylated mercury species from the at least one material.