ET-AAS IN THE ANALYSIS OF HIGH-PURITY MERCURY

ET-AAS is investigated for the analysis of high purity mercury. Two po ssibilities are proposed: ET-AAS determination of trace analytes in th e presence of high mercury concentrations or after matrix separation b y reduction. The ET-AAS analysis of high-purity mercury under optimal instrumental parameters permits fast and reproducible determination of 0.03 mu g g(-1) Al, Cd and Mn; 0.05 mu g g(-1) Cu, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni and Pb and 0.2 mu g g(-1) V. Preliminary mercury matrix reductive separat ion with ascorbic acid allows determination of 0.005 mu g g(-1) Cd, 0. 02 mu g g(-1) Cu, Cr and Mn, 0.03 mu g g(-1) Co, Ni and Pb, 0.05 mu g g(-1) Al and Fe and 0.1 mu g g(-1) V, but the reproducibility is lower . The main advantage of the second procedure is that it avoids laborat ory and instrument pollution with toxic mercury.